Heart of Goryeo
by Maui-chan
Summary: Our story begins towards the end of episode 20 "Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers." Rainer Maria Rilke Another long pause and Ji-Mong added, "In regard to Lady Hae Soo, I don't think she was from this world. When you think back on things there are many instances where you realize it. ..."
1. Chapter 1

**Two Mistakes**

 **"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting." Buddha**

 **Year 967 (19th Year of King Gwangjongs's Reign)**

As King Gwangjong and his retinue entered the Royal Court, his star diviner Ji-Mong who had been waiting for him to arrive approached, formally bowing to greet the King. Once King Gwangjong saw him he remembered the conversation they had shared the night before in Ji-Mong's tower . Before Ji-mong said anything the King addressed him first, " Do you want to leave that badly?"

Ji-Mong replied with a simple, "Yes, I can't help but think of him." He said, referring to the King's deceased oldest brother.

The King tried to remind him of his duty, "You said you weren't anyone's person but the King's person."

Hesitating for a moment Ji-Mong explained, "I think my King was one person. He was a brother and a friend to me…..he was a Monarch."

King Gwangjong had learned how to read his subjects. It wasn't the words Ji-Mong used but his eyes that spoke that this was a man who had reached the end of a long battle with himself and found his answer.

Another long pause and Ji-Mong added, "In regard to Lady Hae Soo, I don't think she was from this world. When you think back on things there are many instances where you realize it. You need to forget her." With added levity he said, "If you long for a person you cannot reach, you end up like me" he ended with a broad smile.

Ji-Mong's words echoed in the King s' mind. Then, he heard it. The crisp sound of a waterdrop magnified as if he could hear the precise moment it touched water. This is the sound he associated with truth. Finding it inside the palace walls was rarer than finding gold. He knew even before Ji-Mong's words about Hae Soo could make sense in his mind that he spoke the truth.

After dropping the unexpected news, Ji-Mong formally bowed to his King one last time and walked away, ending a lifetime of service to Goryeo's royal family and leaving in his wake more questions to ponder than answers.

The King stood in stunned silence at Ji-Mong's words.

King Gwangjong recalled how the previous night, they had stood close in Ji-Mong's tower watching the skies.

"Another eclipse approaches tomorrow Your Majesty. Some fear them as bad omens of calamities. Others see them as announcing change. Either way it is believed they are messengers from the heavens."As he spoke Ji-Mong fidgeted with his invention trying to look at the stars with something he called a telescope.

Standing in that tower overlooking Goryeo, the King's thoughts traveled to the past and his brother The 8th Prince's residence.

It was the first snow of winter and Hae Soo had stood as close to him as Ji-Mong now was. She had been especially taken by what she called, "The bright stars found only here in Goryeo." In those days life had seemed simpler and fate or finding the meaning in stars had been of no interest to him. Fate had already taken too much from him.

After another silence Ji-Mong looked up at the sky, this tower which had been his home for so long really afforded the best view for stargazing. Jovially he announced," My fate like that of tomorrow's eclipse is to be here only for a moment, and then move on. My star is fading. My time with you, Your Majesty has come to an end."

The Kings' face remained calm, "Fate? What has fate to do with your decision to leave?"

Walking towards the front balcony Ji-Mong outstretched his hands as if wanting to grab all the stars in the firmament, "All of these together do not have a path as set as the one the heavens command for us. Has your path not been as fated King Gwangjong?..."

An uneasy sensation suddenly brought the King back to the courtyard. As the temperature dropped and the wind changed directions, he felt a chill down his spine. As if waiting for Ji-Mong's exit from the courtyard, the eclipse in that moment reached totality. He looked up at the sky. The Moon completely covered the Sun and darkness descended in Goryeo.

To a casual observer the shadow of the eclipse momentarily obscuring half the Kings' face would have reminded them of the mask, worn long ago by 4th Prince Wang So before he ascended the throne.

Memories of another eclipse years ago, when 4th Prince had first galloped into Goryeo returned to him a heart that as a Monarch he should have already buried, but had not. His Father, King Taejo had said as much to him,"As a King you must throw her away. You must throw them all away ." Only one name could bring that heart back to life, Hae Soo.

Later that evening as the King retired in his quarters an urgent messenger from the Daminwon arrived bearing the news. The Royal Diviner was dead. Ji_Mong's body had been found at the Daminwon's pool.


	2. Chapter 2

II. Interconnection

 **"The fundamental delusion of humanity is to think that I am here and you are out there." Yasutani Roshi Zen master.**

 **Year 965 (17** **th** **Year) of King Gwangjongs Reign.**

The first rays of daylight entered Haeinsa temple. Three times a day the monks gathered at the sound of the large bell. At the courtyard, they entered the hall to pay their respects to the Buddhas. Their incantations filled the silence.

The loud sounds of horses announced the arrival of The King, riding in full armor to the temple gate. Next to him, rode his military adviser for the Northern Garrisons; 14th Prince Wang Jung.

A messenger's voice could be heard announcing, "The King has arrived! Open the Gates.!"

Two Monks rushed down the narrow path, to open the five gates leading to the main courtyard, like sailors descending from the back of a ship to its front.

The King ascended thru the gates followed by the Monks' arrival from the opposite direction. The Kings men ascended the ship from the lower gates. The Monks descended it, meeting in the middle inside the courtyard.

"Welcome to Haeinsa temple, your Majesties." The Abbot announced.

In high spirits, the King addressed the Abbot, "We will be imposing on your hospitality Abbot. My niece is accompanying us on this trip. "

The Abbot looked at all those gathered inside the courtyard,"We are grateful for the honor of your visit to our temple. This is a joyful time at our temple as we prepare for the lantern festival."

The Abbot continued,"We have prepared a meal to be served in the hall." He added kindly, "And quarters to house the horses and soldiers."

An elderly Monk approached Prince Jung, "General, the garrison commander arrived yesterday and is waiting to provide you with his report."

Prince Jung, nodded his acknowledgment of the news of the commander's arrival. "I am looking forward to his report and will meet him, later. "

His voice laced with amusement the King continued, "Prince Jung and I might be more interested in visiting and securing the Northern Borders and the garrisons." The King paused looking at the Palanquin entering the courtyard "Lady Wang Seol, is here to learn about your famous medicinal mountain plants. Her mind can be …. inquisitive at times. I'm certain you'll be able to accommodate her requests Abbot."

Descending from his horse in one fluid movement Prince Jung approached the Palanquin.

As if on cue, the door to the Palanquin resting in the courtyard opened. All eyes turned to meet the Prince's daughter. Prince Jung extended his hand to help his daughter exit the Palanquin.

The King, watching her from a distance, once again saw Hae Soo in Seol's slight smile. At times in quiet contemplation he would be taken aback by some small gesture of hers similar to her Mother's.

The King marveled at Lady Wang Seol and never tired of watching her. At 14, she carried her Mother's spirit, including a penchant for mischief. He specially enjoyed watching her clash wills with Prince Jung. On long trips like this he treasured their conversations and her many questions.

Lady Wong Seol stood next to her Father and bowed to the King. She had a quick mind and like her father she also had the will to command like a general despite her age.

Her extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs had proved valuable in helping her partly run the medical centers, The Daebiwon, in both In-Kaesong and Pyongyang. The centers had been established thru Royal decree by the King, as part of his reforms and provided free medicine to the poor.

The Abbot approached and greeted her, "Lady, I have heard of your good works on behalf of the poor."

Lady Wang Seol greeted the Abbot but was distractedly gazing at the Temple buildings around her, "I heard that you have an excellent collection of medicinal texts, Abbot. I'm looking forward to studying them." she said.

"I think you will find, inside our two small libraries, that our collection is quite extensive ." The Abbot, declared proudly.

"Thank you, Abbot. I will make good use of the libraries."

With excitement in her voice she continued, "Our work is making a difference for his Majesty's people, as you may know, The King's reforms have not been well received by the noble families. Despite this his Majesty's decision to charge interest on the grain loans has provided the financial support to give relief for the poor at the Daebiwon."

She had noticed her father's displeased gaze while speaking, but continued ignoring the warning in his eyes. The farthest and highest building in the temple suddenly came into her line of sight and she froze in place.

The Abbot's eyes followed her gaze to the building holding her attention, anticipating her question," That is the oldest building it is the _Jangyeong Panjeon._ It was built specially to house and preserve the carved wooden printing blocks, _The Tripitaka_. You might have heard about them? "

Lady Seol turned to meet the eyes of Geosa standing behind her. The Monk always traveled with her as an adviser and a friend and was part of her Father's household, "I have heard about them." She said.

The Abbot nodded acknowledging Geosa, "SoSeong Geosa, it seems your time at the Palace has been well spent."

He then continued, "We are the only temple in all of Goryeo to hold this sacred collection. The floors of the building have been specially made with a mixture of: clay, salt, sand, and charcoal to preserve them."

Lady Wang Seol could hardly contain her sense of wonder, "Is it true that animals, insects and birds avoid that building?"

The Abbot smiled slightly bowing once more to the Lady, "You are well informed, Lady." He answered. "It is time for tea to be served in the hall" and with those last words he walked away re-joining his King as they walked together towards the Hall.

In addition to Haeinsa temple, King Gwangjong, had sponsored the construction of two additional Buddhist temples and would soon begin construction of a third. Haeinsa temple had a long history of receiving royal favor and sponsorship. Legend had it that King Taejo's wife had been miraculously cured from a tumor at this temple.

As a sponsor of Buddhist practice King Gwangjong, had appointed the Abbot from Haeinsa temple as the Buddhist spiritual leader for Goryeo's people.

The Abbot walked next to the King, as everyone else heading to the hall followed behind at a distance to afford them privacy.

"Has the book been translated?" The King queried softly.

"The two Monks who have been working on deciphering it, have decoded the symbols." The Abbot replied "However, it is unlike any writing they have encountered before. It has been very slow progress. They would like to meet with you and present their findings your Majesty."

At the Abbots' words, the King momentarily stopped," Tell them we will meet after the meal."

The Abbot paused for a moment, then added, "Regarding the advisers for the court. We have Monks ready to travel back with you Your Majesty."

The King replied, "We will return once the festivities to the festival are finished."

He then continued, "I have received the updates on the implementation of examinations for Buddhist priests you sent." In a voice expressing frustration he added," but I continue to foresee difficulty in our efforts at making peace between the Zen and Textual schools."

The Abbot lowered his head in contemplation, "Buddhist too are reaching for enlightenment in this life your Majesty. However, we still fail to fully understand and appreciate the need for a oneness of mind and the interconnection of everything." They had reached the hall and paused their conversation.

Together they entered the hall and sat opposite to each other. Prince Jung and Lady Wang Seol followed them in. Small tables were set in front of each of the guests.

The Abbot continued addressing those seated in the hall but kept his gaze on the King, "Learning about medicinal properties, requires apprenticeship with a Master your Majesty."

He then turned to Lady Seol,"The information in our texts simply records properties of medicinal plants but the practice and method that must also be learned along the plant names."

"In that case, you will need to provide the Master as well as the texts Abbot" the King said simply.

The Abbot lowered his head acceding to the King's request, "We are in luck your Majesty. The best trained Master in medicinal plants has already been with us for many years." His eyes traveled to the side doors opening as the tea trays arrived.

Kneeling by the King's side the tea server prepared tea. The smell of the loose leaf green tea King Gwangjong favored reached him. It was prepared with care by someone who knew his preferences. Once the tea was ready, it was poured slowly into his cup.

The King's eyes traveled up from the hand pouring his tea, meeting her eyes. The face had changed. His brother's eyes remained. It was the face of his second wife, Queen Kyeongwha, King Mu's daughter.


	3. Chapter 3

**_"Little girls with dreams become women with vision"_**

 ** _Unknown_**

Late into the night, inside the Haeinsa Temple library, Lady Wang Seol sat reading a volume on medicinal plants of the Gaya Mountains and taking notes. The book had been compiled by Buddhist masters. The sheer quantity of information did not deter her but the lack of specifics vexed her.

Her primary concern regarded children. While many of the plants used in medicine had proved their efficacy, she often found them having side effects when applied to children. The volumes contained next to no information on alternate choices for either children or infants.

A fever had recently struck In-Kaesong, affecting children particularly hard.

While the adults had responded very well to the medicinal herbs, the children had not. Thinking of the mounting deaths filled her with anger and frustration.

The answer to better alternative cures could be growing in those verdant mountains overlooking Haeinsa temple, while at the Daebi-won children hurt.

Thinking back to the afternoon's meal, the Abbots words about being taught by a Master presented itself as the perfect answer. If only the answer was that simple.

Growing up in her Father's household she understood palace politics and the complexities of royal marriages. The Master of medicinal plants of Haeinsa Temple was not just a simple monk.

Her thoughts drifted to the past and memories of her own childhood fevers, and the one whose worried face would always accompany those fevers…her Father.

He loved all his children but she shared an especially close bond with him. She had attributed that bond to having lost her real Mother as an infant.

Stories about her Mother's understanding of plants had inspired her, from an early age, to learn about them as well. Doing this, she felt closer to the woman she couldn't remember.

It was her Father who shared those stories with her, especially during his weakest moments. She loved his sense of duty and admired it.

It made watching him breakdown at times, on the anniversary of her Mother's death, particularly hard.

He missed his Hae Soo. The woman, his wife, his best friend.

It scared her to see him that way at those times. Her Father had always seemed strong in her eyes.

In the mornings after the previous nights over indulging in wine, she was always there to give him a cure for his headache. He seemed embarrassed to see her then, but she would simply irritate him to the point of arguing and soon all their awkwardness would vanish.

She was grateful for his second wife and her siblings most at those times. Their affection was just what her Father needed to heal his heart.

That same closeness had made the confrontation with her Father over leaving to work at the Daebi-won difficult as well.

Her Step-Mother had called it, "A war between two generals inside the household borders." Her Step-Mother and siblings had known better than to get involved with them then. Those differences would be worked out between them. They always were.

In the end, she had passed the examination, qualifying her for entrance to the Daebi-won. The debate ended with her decision to enter it.

Once she had gained acceptance into the Daebi-won she had made the decision to not look back.

Despite his initial anger, afterwards, her Father supported her fully.

The King's decision to open free medical centers for the poor had provided the perfect place for her to apply all the years of learning about plants. Inside its walls, she had found what her Father had found on the battlefields as a general.

She didn't fight soldiers, she fought disease and pain. Her strategy was simple, instead of a sword she used books, and knowledge of plants to ensure that the medicine used was the best available in their fight.

If there is one thing she had learned from her Father, it was that an army was only as strong as the men who formed it and the leader who led them.

She needed to strengthen the weapons the Daeb-iwon used in that fight. It was the only way to give them a fighting chance.

She had picked her battleground. She could serve and make a difference. She had found a place where she was needed.

A loud thud brought her thoughts back to the library. Two heavy volumes had landed on the table where she sat.

In a voice, much too loud for a library, her mentor Geosa exclaimed, "Only one with no worries and fears can go straight and overcome life!" Then, in a softer tone he added, "You are no closer to reaching understanding, Lady Seol."

Seol owed most of her medicinal knowledge to Geosa who had been a faithful companion since childhood. The King, after one of his visits when she was a child, sent the monk to her home as an advisor to Prince Jung's household. He had showed up one day, and since then had never left her side.

Looking up at him she said, "Sometimes I wonder Geosa… Are you truly a monk?"

Geosa ignored her question.

"You have come back to your temple but while others wear monk robes…" She said gesturing at his wardrobe. "Looking at your clothes, someone would think you are a merchant travelling the silk road or a caravan master!"

Instead of answering Geosa snorted, and dropped another oversized volume on the table adding to her growing stack of books.

Later that night, Geosa held a lamp as he led her back to her quarters. Her two ladies-in-waiting walked behind him and she walked behind them. Her spirit felt deflated at the lack of the afternoon's findings. She still had so many questions.

She spoke her thoughts out loud to Geosa, "Do you suppose my fate is not to find the answers? Could I be looking in the wrong place?"

"Hardly, Lady Seol. You can look at it two ways." Geosa answered.

He continued as they were walking," First, as usual, you are focusing on the wrong thing. The past, the present and even the future… they don't matter. It is all one. "

"Will worrying about the future, make it better?"

"The fear in your mind isn't letting you see clearly and understand.", he finished.

Seol continued walking in silence trying to make sense of his words, and then asked, "And what is the second way of looking at it then?"

Geosa stopped as they reached the hall that led to the lady's quarters. Before being ushered to her chamber, Seol paused inside the entrance and looked at Geosa expectantly.

Geosa said with finality, "The second is, that you're doomed. "

"Fate is out to get you. …. You'll never find the answer." And without another word, he bowed, turned, and walked away.

She could only see his back as he left, but she could have sworn she heard him chuckling.


	4. Chapter 4

**Love is Here and Now**

 **"** **Love is a gift of one's inner most soul to another so both can be whole." =Buddha**

One morning after breakfast, Geosa offered to take Lady Seol on a tour of the grounds outside the temple. In the distance, the sound of a tambour could be heard, coming from the temple grounds, as part of the festivities for the lantern festival.

That night, the lanterns would be lit. Back at the temple the courtyard was already decorated for the occasion.

Lady Seol and Geosa walked thru wooded areas approaching a pool.

Someone was there, standing quietly by the edge. It was King Gwangjong.

A moment of indecision overtook Lady Seol.

Fearing that she had intruded, she turned to leave.

Geosa stopped her retreat, gesturing towards the King. When she hesitated his face grew impatient, and he pressed her to go forward and meet the King.

She approached slowly and felt the King's eyes on her. She came to a stop next to him, bowing to greet him.

This wasn't the first time she had met him alone. Their meetings together over the years had been few and far between.

The King gave her a smile and said in a soft voice, "I can still remember the small girl who used to bump into me." As he spoke, his eyes met hers for a minute and then he continued to look out towards the pool.

Lady Seol watched the reflection of the pool's still surface next to him in shared silence.

The King's words had triggered a memory.

 ** _She was a child then and had felt especially bored, that day. She had wanted to visit the horses. Her nanny wasn't letting her run and play outside. She had told her to keep her new dress clean._**

 ** _The whole household was very busy preparing for visitors. The King was coming to meet with her Father._**

 ** _She saw two soldiers enter the house, carrying a large chest into the meeting hall._**

 ** _Her eyes had filled with excitement. Maybe the chest contained real treasure!_**

 ** _She snuck into the meeting hall, as soon as they left._**

 ** _But instead of finding treasure, she only found sheets of paper. Every sheet she saw had a copy of the same poem in pretty hand-writing._**

 ** _She started feeling sad, inside the chest, no gems, no crown._**

 ** _Maybe something to play with? Then, she had spotted it!_**

 ** _At the bottom of the chest._**

 ** _A real arrow!_**

 ** _She was about to pull it out of the chest, when her Father's voice rang outside the door._**

 ** _"_** ** _Where is the chest?"_**

 ** _Startled, she had looked around the room._**

 ** _"_** ** _The chest has been delivered to the meeting room, General", a voice answered._**

 ** _She ran._**

 ** _Scrambling, she hid inside the storage closet._**

 ** _Another voice, "His Majesty has arrived!"_**

 ** _Moments later the doors opened._**

 ** _Footsteps filled the room and a voice read out loud the poem that she had already seen._**

When the water has run dry.

Sit and watch the rising cloud.

 ** _Her Father and the King spoke about many things she did not understand that night._**

 ** _It had been warm inside the closet making her sleepy. Then, loud voices woke her up._**

 ** _The King and her Father were having a heated argument._**

 ** _She heard her name._**

 ** _They argued about keeping her safe._**

 ** _About wanting to honor her Mother, Hae Soo._**

 ** _They seemed to have agreed to keep her away from the palace._**

 ** _Soon, the meeting between the King and her Father ended._**

 _ **Footsteps followed, and then doors opening and closing.**_

 ** _The room became quiet._**

 ** _She had continued to listen._**

 ** _Her legs hurt from sitting so long in that cramped place. She'd looked thru the slight opening in the door and saw nothing._**

 ** _She opened the closet door slowly and crawled out._**

 ** _A thousand stings on her legs made her want to cry. Tears started to form but the fear of being found out had stopped her._**

 ** _Quietly, she walked out of the meeting hall_** **.**

 ** _Once outside, Seol slipped away from the house to hide in the woods behind the main house. Remembering the words exchanged between her Father and the King had made her heart feel scared._**

 ** _She found an old tree that was perfect for climbing. In it she wouldn't have to hear people talk about things that upset her._**

 ** _She slowly climbed to the top of one of the branches. The air felt clean again on that tree, and the branch was solid and high enough to let her feel as if the world was far away. It made her lose track of time._**

 ** _Down below, she could hear others calling her name._**

 ** _She didn't want to come down. She knew that if she did, her Father would be upset and scold her._**

 ** _As it got dark, she began to feel hungry and cold._**

 ** _She wished she had thought of bringing food._**

 ** _Looking down at the tree trunk she saw the shoes she had left behind on the ground._**

 ** _She hadn't realized how high she climbed. Looking down now, she started feeling scared._**

 ** _She couldn't hold her tears back anymore and started crying._**

 ** _The sound of a horse approaching, made her stop. Her heart started beating faster. She couldn't move._**

 ** _Someone was climbing to her branch._**

 ** _A man reached her and then sat next to her._**

 ** _He had her shoes tucked inside the sash of his shiny clothes. He reached out his hand and held out her shoes to her, meeting her eyes and smiling._**

 ** _Carefully, she extended her hand to him and reached for her shoes._**

 ** _Seeing his face, she recognized him. She had met him once before, when she visited her Mother on her death anniversary at the palace, with her Father._**

 ** _"_** ** _Are you the King?" she blurted out._**

 ** _"I am the King." He answered._**

 ** _Seol looked at him and said with surprise, "How did you find me?"_**

 ** _The King stopped for a minute, smiled again and said, "It was easy, I followed my heart."_**

 ** _That night, as they rode home on his horse, she sat in front of the King listening to him as he told her a story._**

 ** _His voice was deep and soft. He told her about a lonely King._**

 ** _The King could only meet his Queen at night, when the stars in Goryeo shone brightest._**

 ** _During the day, the King missed his Queen very much._**

 ** _The Queen also missed the King. She brought down one of the Goryeo stars as a gift to comfort him and remember her._**

 ** _The King treasured that star._**

 ** _But the King was afraid, because he knew, if his enemies found the star, it could be taken away from him. It would no longer shine for him and he would have nothing to remember his Queen._**

 ** _He decided to hide the star from everyone._**

 ** _It was a cloudless night. Seoul's eyes focused on the bright stars as she listened to the story._**

 ** _When the King finished the story, Seoul felt wet drops falling on her hair._**

 ** _She looked up at the sky and tucked herself closer in. She didn't want to get wet in the rain._**

 ** _That night, she decided she liked this King very much. She was glad he found her._**

 ** _His soft voice lulled her and her eyes grew heavy. The night was cold but the King's arms where warm. She closed her eyes and fell asleep._**

Now, Lady Seol turned to see that same King again. This time he stood next to her. He seemed as far away as she had been.

His thoughts took him somewhere else too.

"You must miss your Mother very much." He said, breaking the silence, "She would feel proud of how well you've managed the Daebi-won."

Her Mother had left an immense emptiness in her. Being raised by her Father and his wife and her siblings had given her an anchor. Her life was not empty.

Her Father Prince Jung had always been there. The solid presence in her life.

She looked up at the pools reflection once more and remembered her earlier conversation with Geosa, and suddenly his words made sense.

There was no past, no present and no future.

All she had was this moment and its connection to her Father and Mother's love, before they were separated.

She thought of herself as someone who carried the spirit and whispered love of a Mother she did not remember.

Looking at all the parts in the scene in front of her coming together she understood at last.

In the end, she was one with them once again.

She would not focus on the three of them and how far they all were from each other. Instead, she would think about how close they remained despite that distance.

Lady Seol addressed him in a soft voice for the King's ears alone, "A star, even one that shines alone, should still try to shine brightly."

The King looked at the sky first pausing for a moment and then said, "In the daytime the stars are still there, shinning, but the sun shines brighter hiding their light." As he spoke, his hand extended to the sky as if uncovering the stars, she could not see by day.

Lady Seol's eyes grew wide as he came closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders and facing her.

Meeting his eyes, she thought she could see there, the depth of his heart.

She saw: love, concern, fear…

The King reached into his sleeve pulling out a hairpin.

The pin was decorated with small delicate white jade peonies, and a butterfly.

A small purple flower with green stems wrapped itself at the stem of the pin.

He extended his hand and opened her palm gently, placing the pin in her hand.

He said to her, "The first time I met you, I knew who you were because you wore the pin I gave to your Mother. I want you to wear this so you will know and remember who you are."

Seol stood quietly looking at the pin.

She touched the small flowers outlining them with her finger.

Placing the pin in her hair, she looked at him and gave him a small smile. The King's eyes showed her everything she needed to know. She understood. Perhaps she always had.

"A Prince stands by my side," she took a breath and finished," but I am a Princess because a King is my Father."

The King nodded.

Saying it out loud had finally given her the courage she needed to add, "In the end, perhaps, the only thing that really matters is that we are of one heart."

Then, she did a most unsuitable thing for a subject. She embraced the King.

They stayed together by the pond a while longer. Then, walked away back toward the wooded area and his horse…. The time had come once more to return to being Goryeo's Monarch.

The King's parting words still echoed in her mind, "I still miss your Mother. I see traces of her in you… especially in your smile."

Her heart felt dread at his next words, "There are those who would halt at nothing to stop the King."

"Your Mother was my greatest strength…my greatest weakness."

"As you are." He paused, then continued,

"Just as she has watched over us both, someday I hope to meet her again and be able to say to her, that I loved you. That I too, watched over you."

As she walked away from the pool towards the temple gate Seol stopped and looked back,

"Geosa, what is the name of that place?"

Geosa looked at the pool and said, "We call it the Pool of Reflection. It is named so because, it is meant to be a place that helps us reflect and find our true hearts."


	5. Chapter 5

**V. This Way Out**

 ** _"_** ** _The way out is thru the door. Why is it that no one will use_** _ **this method?"**_ **= Confucius**

Back at the dining hall, the meal had ended, and the King now sat inside a separate room the monks had designated as his meeting room.

So soon after his arrival, the small table in front of him already contained a small stack of documents for him to review. Even while travelling, the requests continued to pour in.

The soldier outside the door announced, "Your Majesty, the monks you requested to meet with you are here." The doors opened. Two monks entered the room and bowed.

The first monk was older and held a cloth wrapped book in his arms. The second was young. He looked nervous and eager to start. He carried two scrolls in his hands.

The older monk approached the King first, "My name is Leom." Then, gesturing to the young monk next to him he added, "This is Gyeo."

The King addressed them, "The Abbot tells me you have made some progress deciphering the book." He gestured for the monks to approach.

Leom answered, "We have, your Majesty. It has been very slow progress, since we have had nothing to use as reference for deciphering the symbols, but we believe the repetition of those symbols and clues left in the book might have given us enough information to piece together a basic understanding."

Leom turned and looked at Gyoe. Both stood quiet for a moment.

"How did you manage to make sense of the characters?" The King asked.

Gyoe approached the King, with eagerness. He opened the book, pointing to one of the pages. "The symbols in this page are different from the rest." He looked up and added, "They were our first clue and have helped build a key from which to start unlocking its mysteries."

With building excitement in his voice, "We believe they represent a specific order value."

The King looked at Gyoe confused.

Leom, stepped in, reading from the book while pointing to the page, "8, 9, 10, 13, ..."

With a satisfied smile on his face he added, "We believe the page refers to the Royal Prince's birth order Your Majesty."

Gyoe, started to read slowly, trying to make sense of the words and pointing to the page where the symbols were. "8th Prince, 9th Prince, 10th Prince, 13th Prince…"

"This helped us find the symbols for 'Prince'." The young monk stopped for a minute in deep concentration.

Then, as if a light had turned on suddenly for him, he continued, "Also, there is a picture and writing on another page. We believe it is a picture of the Royal baths."

His fingers quickly located the picture, with the familiarity of someone who had spent many hours with the book. "There are more symbols next to it…. We believe it is a reference to the Daminwon."

"We still need to work on deciphering many parts, but we believe we have the meaning of some of the text on this page" and then he added as an afterthought, "The book seems to be the writing or recordings of someone travelling to a new place."

Finishing, Gyoe's eyes shined with pride in the work they had completed, "We have also brought with us in these scrolls other parts of the book we have deciphered, Your Majesty."

"What do they say?" The King asked.

Gyoe opened the first scroll.

"This is the first part of the page." and read,

 _ **I travel… Goryeo…. water…. Damiwon…. Years.**_

 ** _I am here._**

 ** _I am Hae Jin…_**

Gyoe, stopped and looked up from his reading.

The King stayed quiet, deep in his thoughts for a moment.

Then addressed them, "Leom. Gyoe. You will continue to work on the rest of the book?"

Both monks nodded, and Leom added, "Of course, your Majesty. With your permission."

"Then I will be speaking to the Abbot."

"You will be residing at the Royal Palace as advisers to the

King. You will report directly to me and will not share any of

this information with anyone else."

"Leave the book and your findings here with me tonight. You may continue working on it tomorrow."

"Prepare to leave at the end of the festival."

Both monks stood for a moment in stunned silence, "Yes, your

Majesty." They said together. They bowed to the King before exiting.

Once alone, The King continued reading the scrolls and the translation the monks had completed for the rest of the pages.

Memories came back to him, of all the times the Daminwon had been the setting of intrigue, inside the palace. Beginning with Hae Soo's first appearance at the Prince's bath to King Mu's death.

A memory rushed at him vividly. It was of Hae Soo and him

walking the palace grounds to stand by the lake.

He had said to Hae Soo,

"The Late King Taejo's last words to me were that life was fleeting.

That it is short and all in vain…"

"But I think that he was wrong."

"You and I are together like this. So how could it be in vain?"

Hae Soo had stood quietly by that lake contemplating in that still manner that worried him and made him feel like she could disappear at any moment.

He asked her,

"What are you afraid of?"

"What are you hiding?"

She shared how anxious the palace made her feel.

Then, her demeanor quickly changed. Happiness filled her eyes.

Her voice was full of longing when she told him,

"If only we had met in another world,"

"At another time…"

"I was thinking how great that would be."

"If that could be, I wouldn't fear anything."

"I could truly and freely love you all I wanted."

The memory faded.

The King's hand rested on the translated words in the book.

For a minute frustration overtook him.

What had Hae Soo been afraid of?

He felt as if he could reach the answers that eluded him.

He extended his hand as if he could grasp the answers from thin air. If only the mist would lift and make them clear.

He remembered how this book had been brought to him by Queen

Hwangbo in the early days of his reign.

She had set spies on Hae Soo and taken the book from her room at the Damiwon.

The Queen believed this finding would win favor with the King and cast suspicion on Hae Soo. That it would allow her daughter to be favored as his new Queen and make Hae Soo seem an unsuitable choice.

This book now represented the key to Hae Soo's thoughts and perhaps to the one thing she kept hiding and always seemed afraid of.

He reached into the chest and set her last painting of him, next to the book.

By painting their portraits onto rocks, she had captured the memory of him and the princes.

The passage of years had allowed him to understand the longing to

remember every detail in a loved face and made him realize he had no art, no painted image of her to help him remember the outline of her face.

As many paintings as the 13th Prince had drawn, did any have Hae Soo in them?

Even her handwriting resembled his own.

Why had he not realized sooner her handwriting had changed?

He reached inside the chest. Paper after paper spread on his table.

The poem repeated in each page, like a prayer.

She had copied the poem until her handwriting bled its own identity and transformed into his. The similarity of Hae Soo's handwriting to the King's had sealed the ending for them. He had not been there with her at the end.

Despite everything, she had held onto hope.

Those words he had written to her then,

Now became his prayer,

 ** _When the water has run dry._**

 ** _Sit and watch the rising cloud *(1)_**

The King opened the scroll, tracing the symbols with his finger,

 ** _I travel… Goryeo…. water…. Damiwon…. Years._**

 ** _I am here._**

He stopped and spoke his thoughts out loud.

"I need to find the door to you….

Help me, Hae Soo.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Enlightenment**_

 _ **"**_ _ **Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment."**_

 _ **= Lao Tzu**_

Lady Seol stood watching the lighting of the lanterns during the festivities of the Lantern Festival celebrating the Buddha's birthday. Colorful paper lanterns lit up the night.

In the courtyard of the temple, The Path of Lights was laid out like a maze, with the simple paper lanterns in their many colors guiding the way.

People walked the path seeking enlightenment. Lady Seol had joined them in the ritual.

She had walked the path alone that morning.

She didn't know if the path would truly enlighten her or whether she understood its full meaning. She could identify with the feeling of travelling in only one direction, alone. Slowly moving forward one step at a time to approach its end. It's one conclusion.

Many times, before she had felt she traveled a similar road thru life. Perhaps, in the end the only true enlightenment she needed was to understand herself inside the path she walked.

Later that evening she walked back to the courtyard to meet her Father, Prince Jung. Now she stood next to him, at a high point inside the courtyard watching the festival goers walking among the lights.

Lady Seol, stood quietly in deep thought. She kept her eyes away from her Father and towards the fading sunset, afraid of giving her feelings away.

At the Daebi-won no two days ever seemed alike. The changes she constantly worked to achieve, the improvements she hoped for, suddenly made her feel greedy for wanting too much. There were days she didn't know if she was doing the right thing, pushing so hard all the time. She could sense he watched her closely as thoughts filled her head.

"You're doing everything you can already." He said to her.

He looked amused at her predicament, but before she could say anything, he turned and looked back towards the mountains and the slowly setting sun.

As the light hid behind the mountains, the temperature turned colder. Lady Seol shivered involuntarily.

Her Father, as well as everyone else traveling with them on this trip, had heard from Geosa, about how spectacular the sunsets at Haeinsa Temple were. He had chattered non-stop all thru the long hours of the journey, about how beautiful the scenery would be, and the splendor of the festival lights.

The monk was proud of his home temple.

Her Father's hand touched her elbow bringing to her attention the intense orange and crimson colors of the sunset lighting the sky and bringing the mountains to life as they watched them from the courtyard.

A slight mountain breeze entered the courtyard.

The bright colors of the many paper lanterns glowing and swaying inside the temple grounds rivaled that of the sunset.

The combination of colors around displayed their full majesty giving her a sense of peace, as if she had suddenly tonight entered a different world.

She held her breath for a minute as the last rays of sunlight slowly faded behind the mountain. The light of the world was ending today as dusk descended.

Her father's words broke the silence between them,

"I admire your restraint. By now I thought I'd be called by the Abbot himself to restrain my daughter. I expected to find you knee deep and surrounded by carved wooden blocks, exploring the depository of the _Janggyeon Panjeon_.

I heard the floors are especially designed to keep the blocks dry. You seemed interested the day you arrived here?"

Looking at him she answered with some frustration in her voice, "There hasn't been enough time, Father. We've spent most of our time at the library."

Then she added, "I am still interested. The construction and materials used for the floors, it's unique. We could use a drier room, even a small one at the Daebi-won, during the rainy season."

A comfortable silence settled between them.

Taking one last look at the last rays still barely visible, Prince Jung prepared to leave. "In the morning, we will be riding together into town. We will join the King for the festival feast." He announced.

He waited until she met his eyes, "Seol, call it an early night tonight, get some rest."

He then added more softly, "Tomorrow will be a long day, expect a longer evening."

Acknowledging his concern, she nodded slowly, "I will, Father. Good night, "

As she watched his retreating back, she thought to herself, "Thank you for understanding my heart. It was a beautiful sunset."

The next evening, the townspeople stood by the side of the road, watching as the temple monks walked in a slow procession carrying paper lanterns. Children followed with excitement as the monks walked down the middle of the road.

More lanterns were hung around the town from house door to house door adding yet more color to the road and their passage thru town.

When the monks reached a large pond, they set the lanterns they carried on the water. Slowly, they drifted towards the larger lanterns already floating in the center of the pond.

The larger lanterns were shaped like flowers and already illuminated the water.

Walking thru a different part of the town, Lady Seol, Geosa and her two ladies-in-waiting were stopping at vendors stalls to look at their wares.

Despite her Father's warning the night before, she had still managed to stay up reading. She wished now that she followed his advice.

Spotting dried chrysanthemum flowers, she approached a vendor's stall. The dried flower petals and buds sat next to silks in assorted colors and tea sets at one table.

She saw that the vendor had white and deep brown varieties. They could be used to treat head congestion and fevers.

"Where have these flowers been grown?, she asked him.

From behind her, a woman's voice answered, "These varieties are grown here, in these mountains."

She turned to see Queen Kyeongwha approaching. The Queen picked up some of the buds crushing them in her hand to smell their scent.

"The brown variety brews into a dark tea and has a sweeter and more robust flavor. "

Over the Queen's shoulder Lady Seol noticed that she was being escorted by monks, as well as her ladies-in-waiting.

"It is the white flowers however, that are the mildest. Also, their taste is enjoyed most by children."

Lady Seol bowed to the Queen greeting her, "Your Majesty."

"We are not at the palace, Lady Seol. It's a simple market place and I have mostly been raised inside a monastery. The formality of palace life and royal households is most at odds with the simplicity of monastic life. I prefer it remain that way." The Queen answered.

She smiled at Lady Seol, extending her hand out to have Lady Seol smell the dried flowers.

"The scent is sweet, like honey" Lady Seol said. Then smelling a second sample of the brown flowers, the Queen offered her she added, "The smell of the white petals is milder."

The Queen continued, "The scent is also indicative of the taste."

"When it comes to children, this could be overlooked, but it is important. It aids in medicine being taken consistently. Children will drink something they enjoy."

"This is more effective than spitting it out." The Queen said, with a twinkle in her eye.

Then with added mirth she said, "You might find this applies to adults as well. Although in my experience they seem to prefer the stronger flavor of the darker petals."

"I have heard people say, it is better to be deprived of food for three days than tea."The Queen paused in thought before continuing,

"The tea is valued by many, as medicine if taken consistently, before they get sick, instead of afterwards. Perhaps children could benefit as well?"

Lady Seol completed her purchases of the tea flowers.

Her thoughts wrapped themselves around the Queen's words, as they continued walking together.

Lady Seol watched the Queen discreetly. She was young, but not as young as her.

"I've read that mountain grown petals are of higher quality?" She asked.

The Queen answered, "It's the mountain altitude at which they are grown."

"Mountains have their advantages after all. They can make certain herbs stronger."

"They seem to have the same effect on children… even those of royal descent." The Queen said in a softer voice and smiled.

As they approached the designated place for the feast, Lady Seol, bowed and the Queen and the monks accompanying her walked away to meet the soldiers admitting entrance to the King.

A large table sat on a dais. It provided a good vantage point from which to watch the floating lanterns glowing on the pond.

A floor had been prepared for dancers to join the celebration. They would be performing for the King and the invited nobles and officials from the region sitting at the lower tables.

Queen Kyeongwha sat next to the King.

Her Father met her eyes. Lady Seol approached and greeted him. She bowed to the King and Queen before sitting down next to her father, at the end of the long table on the dais.

As their tea was served, the music started to play, bringing everyone's attention to the dance floor.

Two lines of dancers emerged from the sides of the dance floor. They carried lighted lotus shaped paper lanterns in their hands.

The light reflected on their white Hanboks. Their soft graceful movements gave them an ethereal glow, representing the light of the Buddha's teaching.

The white robes contrasted with the colored lotus lamps they carried. The music reached a crescendo as the lead dancer stepped forward. The rest of the dancers formed two large circles on the sides of the dance floor in a quick rotation.

Lady Seol's attention was on the lead dancer.

She turned to look at her Father.

He seemed more interested in his tea and the yakgwa cookies.

The lead dancer approached the front of the dais raising the lotus lantern high above her head.

The light she cast out representing the buddha's illumination of the world.

The sound of arrows embedding in the wall behind them interrupted the dance and shattered the moment.

Time slowed down for Lady Seol.

Archers stood on the roofs of the houses nearest to the dance floor.

Before she could see them fully her chair collapsed from under her.

They fired a second round of arrows.

She crashed onto the floor, still sitting in her chair.

A lady screamed.

The chair was now half on top of her.

She heard fabric from her Chimu ripping, as she finally managed to free herself from the chair.

The sounds of chaos reached her.

Loud and panicked screams continued. The sounds of running feet were all around her.

Soldiers voices could be heard above the commotion, "Protect the King!"

She was on hands and knees trying to move away from the chaos.

The long white tablecloth draped over the table blocked her view of the archers.

She extended one hand trying to move away. She stopped seeing where her hand was about to land.

Blood stained the floor.

Crimson splattered the white tablecloth.

With shaking hands, she tore away the cloth blocking her view. She reached one hand under the table following the trail of blood. It led her to two lodged arrows.

She identified the face.

Her Father had been shot.

A hand descending on her shoulder made her jump. Startled, she looked up to see Geosa's face.

"We must go Lady Seol."


	7. Chapter 7

**_"_** ** _To walk safely through the maze of human life one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue." =Buddha_**

Lady Seol poured water from a basin over her hands.

Someone handed her a soap. It was round with an embedded dried flower. It was a gift from her father.

She held it in her hands hoping to gain strength from her mother's soap recipe and it's solid presence.

Her mother's recipe was still followed to make soap in her home.

The faint scent of fresh pine needles washed away the strong herbal smell of oily ointment and blood on her hands.

She had extracted the arrows with the help of Geosa and another monk. They had managed to stop the bleeding and clean and bandage the wounds.

She was glad to have assistants.

Extracting the heads for the arrow required precise work to avoid causing further damage to the muscle. 

She was grateful the temple had such a well-stocked infirmary in place.

One of her ladies-in-waiting handed her a cloth to dry her hands.

Her worry now was over fevers and infection, but most important, the coloring in her father's skin.

It was wrong and she couldn't pinpoint the reason.

Her father was strong and healthy. She knew this would help.

She tried to focus on the things she needed to do, but her mind kept thinking about what had just happened at the feast.

Geosa, had saved her father's life.

He had been standing behind them alongside the monks accompanying the Queen and had a better vantage point to see the archers positioning themselves.

He had kicked both her and her father's chair legs out from under them knowing the weight would land them quickly away from the arrow's path.

Despite this, one arrow had managed to hit her father's arm and another, his shoulder.

The assassins had been targeting her father.

A burst of anger filled her at this realization.

It hadn't been the King, who everyone would have expected to be the obvious target.

This assumption, had made Prince Jung more vulnerable. They had reached the King indirectly.

In the aftermath, she had heard that the monks accompanying the Queen to the feast had surrounded the King and Queen during the attack.

Lady Seol was beginning to think that perhaps the monk's presence at the feast may not have been a casual arrangement after all.

Some of those who were responsible for the attack were captured and were being held by the garrison commander. They were being questioned. He had just left, after reporting to her father that he was awaiting the King's orders.

Lady Seol approached her father's bed.

He looked at her and said lightly, "They could have at least waited until after the food had been served. The dancing already seemed endless to me."

Seeing that she did not smile, he added, "Seol.

Stop looking so worried. This is the life of a General." trying to sound casual.

"I'm glad you won the argument to join the Daebi-won. After all, you've received good training there." He told her, as he examined the bandages on his arm.

He still felt groggy from the herbs she had given him to help numb the pain.

Sitting next to him on the side of his bed, she gently placed her hand on his forehead to check for fever. Reaching for his hand, she examined his fingernails and the coloring in his skin.

"Drink this, please. It's to help with the healing and fever." She extended a cup to his lips, but before he could drink his arm suddenly shot out, gripping the covers in pain.

His sudden movement knocked the cup out of her hands, landing on the floor and breaking.

The liquid wet her sleeve, quickly absorbing into the fabric.

"What's wrong?

He sat in silence. His head was down. His hand tightly gripped the bed cover.

A soldiers' voice outside the door announced, "The Queen is here to see the General."

Lady Seol turned her eyes to the door. Geosa walked in with The Queen by his side.

As Geosa raised his hand, Lady Seol saw that he held one of the arrowheads they had removed from her father's shoulder earlier.

"Lady, the General has been poisoned. The Queen is here to help."

Later that night, Lady Seol, continued thinking about that night.

They had worked non-stop most of the night, staying one step ahead of the poison seeping into her father's body.

The Queen had known exactly how to identify the poison.

The Queen had knowledge of more than medicinal plants. She understood the effects of poison and how to combat them.

It had been a long night of assistants entering and exiting the infirmary.

Lady Seol, had worked by the Queen's side as she directed their steps.

As Seol sat in a chair by his bed side, silence filled the room.

She kept her hands busy wrapping bandages, the task was calming. Its repetitive motion gave her time to think.

She had needed this silence to bring order back in.

She stopped, watching the shadows cast on the wall by the flickering candle next to her,

Morning would soon be sending its first rays of light dawning a new day.

The Queen had finally retired for the night.

She now sat next to her father remembering the Queens words, after the antidote had at last been prepared and given to her father.

She had placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Watch over him, Lady Seol. Keep the fever down. He is weak from the effects of the poison. The antidote is working but he will have a very slow recovery. He will have to stay at the temple and not be moved, until he fully recovers."

As Lady Seol listened to the detailed instructions, her mind had also filled with questions.

She felt like a boat floating and unable to see the water's depth. The Queen's part in all this made her seem less and less a casual bystander.

"You arrived just in time, your Majesty. How did you know?" she asked.

The Queen stood quietly, as they watched her father sleep.

The medicine she had given him had finally allowed him to rest.

Walking to the side table and pouring water into a cup the Queen broke the silence.

"Sometimes wisdom can be found in the strangest places, Lady Seol"

"My exile to a monastery seemed like a curse at times, but King Gwangjong's virtue and wisdom saved me, when I needed it most."

When the cup was filled, she walked to her father's bedside. Lady Seol helped support her father as they tried to help him drink.

"He married, a child to save her from becoming a hostage."

"It did not come at a small price for him…or your mother."

The Queen's mind took her again to the past.

A place she frequently tried to not visit, yet her attempts always failed.

Before my father died, he frequently visited the Damiwon.

Your mother, Court Lady Hae Soo, was giving him treatments.

Sometimes, I would accompany him on those trips.

Even with your mother's help, his illness seemed to get worse.

He would get angry frequently and he was

always scared.

He seemed to think everyone around him was

trying to hurt him.

Lady Hae Soo, always seemed to know when I was feeling scared.

While my father was at the bath she would sometimes take me to the gardens and spread out one of the bed covers. She would set out Yangkwa cookies and tea for us under the shade of a tree.

Together we would drink the tea and talk. It was our secret place to meet and have, what she called a pic-nic?

I always felt better, afterwards.

On one trip to the Daminwon, I remember my father was feeling very ill. His temper really scared me.

I had tried to stay quiet, but despite my best effort. I still managed to anger him.

By the time we arrived at the Daminwon I was trying to hold back tears,

Lady Hae Soo took me to her room and wrapped a cover around my shoulders. The warm drink she prepared for me also helped.

That day, we had read poems, together.

Lady Hae Soo had shared her favorite poems with me. She said it gave her hope and strength to read poems when everything seemed too scary.

Even then, I could see why the 4th Prince loved her.

In the quiet and darkness of the infirmary the Queen's peaceful voice added light to the shadows.

"Out of the loneliness of time comes the understanding that virtue can still be learned and kindness felt in lonely places….and sometimes that virtue can help light the darkest corners."

"The King and your mother taught me that no matter who we are, or where we are, we can still make a difference."

Her father started coughing as he tried to drink the water.

"Drink slowly, uncle."

Lady Seol handed the Queen a cloth to wipe his mouth.

The Queen continued, "Spies reported assassins crossing the Northern border. Their arrival was not unexpected. I reported this to the King, upon your arrival."

Lady Seol had looked at the Queen with surprise then.

"Your father's position as the King's General in charge of keeping the Northern borders against invasion makes him a target. Hurting him, hurts the King."

"I am the daughter of a King and despite the distance I am also the King's second wife. A Queen should protect the King. In my own way, I can still make a difference."

Even by the light of only one candle, Lady Seol knew her face showed her emotions. Chief among them, was gratitude.

With a smile, The Queen turned to Lady Seol before parting,

"Following my father's death, learning about poisons and their effect has been my main motivation to learn about medicinal plants, Lady Seol."

The Queen touched her father's hand, then added,

"One brother dead due to poisoning is enough."

"We should be better prepared next time; don't you think Lady Seol?"

Then the Queen added, "Your Mother, was always more than just a Court Lady. In so many ways she did not really belong inside the Palace. She had knowledge and understanding that others did not, but she lacked understanding of poisons and their effect."

"The knowledge I brought today has arrived at the right time.

It only works if we manage to stay one step ahead."

"I am glad you were here today Lady Seol, your skills were needed. There is still so much to learn."

Lady Seol finished wrapping the last of the bandages and put them away in the basket next to her.

Thankfully, her father's even breathing continued.

Her work thru the dark of night was over.

She needed to make arrangements for her continued absence from the Daebi-won. Her return would be much delayed.

As the first rays of light entered the room they marked the start of a new day.

Her father stirred from his dream. She tried to move his head back onto his pillow.

Then, she heard him calling her mother's name.

"Hae Soo."

Her name filled the emptiness of the room like a specter and left more questions in her mind.

She felt as if she stood at the doorstep to a maze starting to unfold in front of her.

The King, her father and now the Queen.

The past had not moved on fully for them.

Instead, it seemed to extend its grip into their present.

Their lives remained interconnected.

Time had passed, but her mother's memory remained.

The realization made her want to know her mother more than ever.

How had she managed to touch the lives of so many?

Who exactly, was her mother?

As Lady Seol, prepared to stand and stretch from her chair, a soldier's voice announced,

"The King has arrived to visit the General."


	8. Chapter 8

**Travel**

 **Year 968 (20th Year of King Gwangjong's Reign)**

 ** _"_** ** _The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows." =Buddha_**

The fields stretched out in front of him. They always did. More than home, palace, friends or family, it was the fields that where his companion.

13th Prince Wang Baek-Ah sat under a tree recording the words to a new song he had heard in town that morning.

The song was hummed and sung by a mother to her child as she rocked the baby to sleep and he drew them.

The song was now in his head and he knew until he recorded the words and tried to replay the tune it wouldn't leave his head. He was grateful for the quiet and the lack of interruptions. He wanted to practice playing the tune.

The words to the many simple songs he had heard over the years sung by the common people, spoke of their suffering, their fears, their resilience and sometimes as did this song, their hopes for their children.

King Taejo, his father, had set him on a quest to record his people by drawing them when he was younger. Little had he known then, that this path would become his salvation. A place that allowed him to live with some measure of freedom.

As a Prince, living inside the palace, he had witnessed the death of family and friends in pursuit and defense of a throne.

He had known the rise and fall of kingdoms. Including his own royal house in Sillas.

Kings rose and fell trying to strengthen and unify their kingdoms.

As an artist he traveled and lived among the common people.

He recorded their hearts, through songs, and drawings.

He knew now, that true unification in any Kingdom relied on a King understanding their own people.

His own brother, King Gwangjong ruled with the same hope. He had once stood by his side. In the time before she was gone.

Her face came back again filling his mind. Every shape, curve and outline. He remembered her, all of her.

She had been too young to carry the full weight of her people and their fallen kingdom. He had been too young to understand, she carried the weight alone.

Until it was too late.

Until his arms had filled with her fallen, broken body.

He knew loss, it traveled with him every day.

Thoughts of the palace, and of her made him stop recording the words to the song. Instead, he picked up the book he used for his drawings and opened its pages.

The King had asked to meet with him and embark on a new mission.

Ji-Mong's death a year ago had raised new questions for the King concerning Hae Soo.

A part of him had understood the King's request.

His heart understood his brother. The King had wanted more than a picture drawn of her, to remember.

He wanted to capture her heart as well in those pictures. The moments she had shared with them, the Princes.

She had brought out the best in them. She had changed them.

Those times had been a spring for all of them, when brothers had met as brothers.

Time would change them all.

His own memories of Hae Soo had been narrated to the King when he returned to the palace and they had met.

Ji-Mong had seemed to think Hae Soo came from a different world. He had said that thinking back, there where many instances that showed this.

The King had asked him,"Baek-Ah, you knew her well. Do you know of such instances?"

As a result of that meeting, he had spent part of the last year traveling.

Meeting his brother's. Visiting their homes.

In doing this he was also recording his brother's stories of their time before the all out fight for the throne.

Her story involved his brother's too.

8th Prince Wang Wook had been able to provide details of her life outside the palace and the time she had lived in his household.

14th Prince Wang Jung had returned to his home after an earlier stay at the temple while recovering from an injury. He too had added a story of an encounter between him and Hae Soo in which she had come to his defense.

He had drawn a few sketches of his own.

Memories of moments shared with his brothers. As his own testament to those days.

He looked through all the sketches in his book. He planned to turn them into full color paintings. He would add his signature signet once they were finished and send them to the palace.

He turned the pages to the sketches stopping when he reached the sketch of Prince Wang Wook carrying Lady Myung Hee on his back in her last moments. Hae Soo had walked right behind him.

The sketch triggered a memory of him and Hae Soo drinking after Lady Myung Hee's death.

Every day they had drunk, and drunk.

Hae Soo and him, caring only about how to drown the pain and loneliness they both felt after her death.

Both of them might not have started out as friends but Lady Myung Hee's death had changed that too.

He had tried to explain to her customs any royal family member understood,

but Hae Soo never fit, or seemed to know what should have been second nature to her station in life.

Everyone blamed this on her memory loss, but he could see it was more than that.

During one of their many conversations she had taught him about the importance of freedom and she had said to him,

"Please stop talking about taking people. This place always treats people like they are property. Just wait a thousand years. There is no one above you. There is no one below you…..How long is life anyway?

Your status is this, the Prince is that…

Listen to me Baek-Ah.

You could be living well, and still just end up dying someday.

You can fall right out of the sky.

Then end up living in a place like this;

so, just follow your heart and live.

Do everything you want to do.

And live however you want to,

OK?"

13th Prince, turned the pages in his book. The last sketch he had drawn he would keep for himself.

It was of Hae Soo walking in an open field.

Her hands outstretched to touch the tall sunflowers.

He had used lighter tones to represent the moment, letting light stream into the drawing.

The drawing showed him the young Hae Soo he remembered.

Still hopeful, still following her heart, before loss too would fill her days.

Above her he had drawn an open sky.

He spoke to her drawing as if she could listen, "I hope you find your open sky.

1,000 years from now, with no one above or below you.

I've tried to keep your secret, friend,

but time is unfolding the truth.

Perhaps this too is just another part of all our fates."


	9. Chapter 9

**_"_** ** _Everything you encounter is your life."_**

 **= Kosho Uchiyama**

 **Modern Day Seoul South Korea**

Hae Jin stood outside the coffee shop folding her umbrella. The rain had come suddenly.

She tried to enter the building to keep her shoes and herself from getting any wetter. She stopped once inside the shop, looking around trying to spot the person she was meeting.

He sat at the back of the shop in a table next to a window and saw her enter the building. Rising from his seat, he walked to where she stood frozen for a minute inside the door, feeling chilled.

"You look cold. We should get you something warm to drink first." He said as he approached her with a smile. Taking her umbrella and letting her walk to the counter to place an order.

"I'm sorry for making you wait. My bus was late. Probably due to the rain." She said in an apologetic voice.

"No need to apologize. I enjoy watching the rain." He gestured towards the table where his drink waited.

They sat next to the window. Hae Jin sipped her tea trying to gather her thoughts. She was at a loss as to where to start. None of this felt real yet.

Seeing the exhibit in the gallery, and the images of her life in Goryeo had brought back all her memories and feelings of the past.

She had thought time travelling was hard.

It was nothing compared to having 10 years of memories rush at you at once.

Especially when those memories involved tragedies and mistakes made in those 10 years and so many of those memories had copious quantities of regret.

She had arrived in Goryeo trying to learn how to live like Hae Soo and keep everyone from learning about Hae Jin.

Now, she was back to being Hae Jin, but after the gallery she now found Hae Soo's memories and life super imposed and trying to fit into Hae Jin's modern life.

Those drawings were intimate portraits of moments she shared with the princes.

She could think of only one person who could find out about those moments in detail. She recognized his drawing style. The answer led to Prince Baek-Ah.

The memories regained at the gallery had shifted her reality violently again.

She no longer just had concerns about getting back to work and reestablishing relationships with friends and family. Living a life every modern person experienced.

She had lived a life as Hae Jin before Goryeo, broken by love and friendships.

Her second life had started in Goryeo as Hae Soo.

She had learned about love that was strong enough to withstand betrayal and attack on all fronts. The word friendship had acquired new meanings.

She had started her third life as Hae Jin, after a year in a coma. Returning to work, starting a life after drowning.

Today, she began a fourth life. She was now Hae Jin and carried Hae Soo's experiences and memories. She was a time traveler.

It seemed the unexpected encounters in her life were starting again. These encounters defied logic, and the laws of Physics.

She should not be having these encounters. Meeting them again and again…but here she was.

How deeply her life had just changed would be determined from this meeting.

She stopped gazing into her tea cup and looked outside the window.

The rain left drops clinging to the large window, sliding off slowly as they hit the glass.

Leaving traces of their path as they slid into their inevitable fall, pulled by gravity she used her finger to trace those paths.

She felt just as fractured and fragile as those drops clinging to the glass.

She only had one certainty now.

She would not be swept away by circumstances, just waiting for each day to unfold for her the way she had done in Goryeo.

King Taejo had advised her to close her eyes when things became too much to bear. Do nothing. Be a witness.

She couldn't be just a witness anymore, afraid of changing history.

She would not follow that path again.

She would not think so much about consequences anymore.

She understood now, that forces were at work that were beyond her control anymore or full understanding.

This was the modern world. Her world.

She had the home court advantage this time.

This time she would be an active participant not just an observer.

He sat watching the wheels turning in her head.

Determination filled her eyes.

Sensing her discomfort, he spoke first. "This has come upon you suddenly. You must still be trying to make sense of it."

She looked at him trying to read his thoughts. Not satisfied with what she read there.

Questions flooded her mind one on top of the other. She couldn't stop them from filling her head and didn't know where to begin.

 _Why am I travelling back here?_

 _And you?_

 _Why are you here?_

 _Is anyone else travelling too?_

 _Why is this happening?_

Breaking the silence, looking at her, he said, "What is it you are trying to ask me?"

Finally, with mounting frustration, she asked, "Who are you?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Year 971 (21** **st** **year of King Gwangjong's Reign)**

 **Courage**

 _ **What is Courage? Courage does not always roar. Sometimes, it is the quiet**_ _  
_ ** _voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."_** ** _~ Anonymous_**

 **Inside the Archery Grounds at the Royal Palace.**

The soldier joyfully announced, "It's another bulls-eye your highness!" The arrow had embedded itself at the center of the target.

Crown Prince Wang Ju stood preparing to shoot a third arrow. Archery was something he had mastered easily from a young age.

Martial arts and swordsmanship had also been skills that he had mastered. However, it was archery where his skills truly shined.

He had practiced endlessly, when he was young, hoping that if he excelled, his Father, King Gwangjong would recognize his skills and that this would help him gain his acceptance.

Persistence was his strong suit and his mother, Queen Daemok had frequently praised him for his determination.

Queen Daemok and his Father had spent most of their life as monarchs in a silent war with each other.

The Queen hoped to continue to empower the noble families and build alliances to strengthen their position.

The King had done everything within his power to weaken the clans and noble families and to wrestle power from them.

The King had inherited a kingdom under the power of the clans.

He had freed slaves in a move that had managed to weaken the clans and strengthen the King's power. Slaves became citizens of Goryeo, paying tribute and taxes.

The King's purges had removed many nobles from the court, also strengthening the King's position.

It had been a calculated move to remove inherited positions.

Creating new openings through merit and testing, rather than family ties.

The King's reform had attempted to remove entitlement and replace it with talent and competence.

Prince Ju's movements flowed as he continued preparing another arrow it became a form of meditation.

"Kings are rarely understood." Prince Ju whispered his thoughts as he prepared another arrow.

King Taejo would be proud of his son King Gwangjong's work strengthening the kingdom he had founded.

Many at court and among the noble families would say that the opposite was now true of the Crown Prince's position at court.

His Father did not acknowledge him publicly.

Some whispered that he suspected and mistrusted his own son.

They believed the King's son might not become King or even perhaps survive the King's wrath if it ever turned against him.

In the matter of gaining a stronger position for her son, Queen Daemok had spent years trying to have the King openly recognize her son and help him get an official position of trust with his Father. All her efforts in this regard had failed.

He had once overheard the ladies-in-waiting to his mother speaking about the King and how he ignored his own son.

They had thought the King did not consider him worthy to be the Crown Prince and suspected the Prince would be poisoned or killed before becoming King.

He calmly took another arrow from his quiver, quietly aiming. He let the arrow fly once again.

"Another bulls-eye your Majesty!"

The Crown Prince's eyes travelled to the target and the center.

He remembered one time when he was 11 years old, trying to prove to his Father, that he was indeed worthy to be Crown Prince.

He had set out during the afternoon alone to hunt a wild pig that had been spotted around the palace grounds. Surely, he thought the tale of his bravery would reach his Father's ears.

He had packed his arrows and bow and had spent most of the morning tracking the pig, trying to find any trace of the animal.

He knew it had been sighted the day before, during the late evening, inside the palace grounds.

He hid underneath a bush, waiting the way his teacher had taught him.

Even, as the light started to fade he continued to wait.

The sound of every living thing around the grounds kept him at the ready.

He heard snorting nearby. It was unmistakable.

He realized the animal was fast approaching his hiding spot and he nearly lost his courage.

After a moment's hesitation, he had readied his bow.

Suddenly, the animal burst out of the brush.

He tried to steady himself and aim the arrow.

He let his instincts guide him then, as he always did when practicing.

He loosed the arrow.

It travelled straight towards the animal. Abruptly, the animal moved out of the arrow's path.

He had barely registered his failure, before he saw that the animal had spotted him.

The fury in its eyes was enough to make him scramble, as fast as he could, towards a tree.

The wild pig ran towards him.

He had reached the base of the tree, but he knew the animal would reach him before he could climb up.

He turned and stood frozen, his back against the tree as the animal charged him. His instincts took over again as he barely managed to move out of the way.

The pig rammed straight into the trunk, so close to him he could feel the heat from its body.

The animal was stunned.

He moved to run away again, trying to position himself where he could shoot again.

Then a spear hit the animal across it's middle, and it collapsed on its side.

He stood there staring at the dying animal with his legs shaking.

He saw his teacher approach him, with a calm knowing look on his face.

As his teacher moved closer to him, he slowly turned.

Behind his teacher rode his Father, King Gwangjong on his horse. Next to him, the other soldiers who had also come to hunt the animal.


	11. Chapter 11

**_"_** ** _It's your road…..and yours alone…others might walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. No matter what path you choose really walk it." =Buddha_**

The horse's legs had the strength to keep galloping. As Crown Prince Ju held tightly to the reins, he wrapped his legs around his teacher's horse letting his legs help him control the horse.

He had ridden him before and knew his teacher had picked this horse for speed. He knew what the animal had in speed would mean he needed to also be careful not to overexert his stamina.

The King rode next to him also at a full gallop. His horse was a full half body length ahead of his own horse. Out of the corner of his eye Prince Ju could admire the King's speed and control of his horse. The King looked like he was enjoying himself challenging his son as they rode out into an open field.

Prince Ju rode as low as he could be trying to catch up to the King. Ahead of them a flag bearer stood waiting for them to cross the finish line.

As they approached at full speed, Prince Ju forgot all thoughts and just imagined himself melting into his horse, throwing everything he had learned about riding into trying to run as fast as he could to the finish line.

His horse seemed to read his intent and gained a little on the King's horse. The finish line was just ahead.

Then the King bore down on his own horse as both animals rode side by side.

They crossed the finish line, as the flag bearer raised his flag.

The soldiers at the finish line cheered.

Prince Ju sat on his horse after the race looking at the King.

His Father's wide smile left him feeling unguarded for a moment and then he realized he too was smiling.

The King had won the race.

Prince Ju let his horse walk slowly, trying to cool him down. Then allowed him to approach a creek and drink.

The King stood close by, letting his own horse drink.

"Persistence and endurance carry their own reward." The King's words took him by surprise.

Prince Ju turned to see his Father focusing on the creek and his own horse. The King's back did not let him see his face.

For a moment he felt frustration, all this time he had wanted his father to acknowledge him. Now he stood next to him and words failed him.

"It takes courage to go up against a wild pig by yourself. What went wrong?" The King casually added.

Prince Ju stood quiet for a moment letting the King's words sink in.

"I didn't expect the pig to turn away so quickly from the arrows path. I wasn't prepared to shoot a second arrow at him." He answered.

After another silence the King spoke again, "It was good timing to have your teacher arrive when he did. Had things not worked out this way, who would be mourning your choice today?"

At the King's words, the first face that filled Prince Ju's mind was his Mother, Queen Daemok.

The realization filled him with sadness as he thought of his Mother alone in the palace.

Prince Ju understood the sacrifices his Mother had made to help him become the Crown Prince.

"Courage is not always enough….

A King travels his own road alone, always."

After a pause the King continued.

"His every choice can both help and hurt those around him."

The King's horse had stopped drinking.

As he turned away from the creek, Prince Ju could now see his face.

"King Taejo, favored Crown Prince Mu during his reign.

My oldest brother managed to survive being the target of the King's advisers who continuously asked for his removal as Crown Prince,

They attempted to poison him, and sent assassins to kill him before he became King.

He persisted, but was unable to endure.

His reign lasted three years."

The King's eyes looked sad as he remembered.

"Sometimes, endurance can be the true measure of a King's success.

This applies to you as well, Ju.

A father's acknowledgement, isn't always a blessing."

Prince Ju walked next to the King as they both slowly led their horses back to where the soldiers were.

Then the King added, "Travelling this road alone as Crown Prince, has afforded you the freedom to remain by your Mother's side.

An enduring Kingdom as Goryeo's next King will be your biggest challenge."

In a lighter tone the King added, "You have received good training from your teacher, you kept your head when that pig turned against you."

Prince Ju stopped walking for a moment and said to the King, "I was scared."

Prince Ju's words made the King smile again.

Before reaching the soldiers camp, the smell of roasting meat reached them first.

The King's last words before reaching the camp were soft and for his ears only.

"The path ahead you is being cleared. You will need to be strong enough to walk it alone."

As Prince Ju's thoughts returned to the present,

The King's words still echoed in his mind.

He shot his last arrow.

Then walked to the target himself to retrieve them.

As he approached the target he stopped for a moment in front of Goryeo's royal flag, the wind made it sway.

He held three arrows that had not reached the bulls-eye in his hand,

and slowly walked back preparing to shoot again.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Time**_

 _ **"**_ _ **Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." ~Buddha**_

 **Year 972 (23** **rd** **year of King Gwangjong's Reign.)**

 **At Haeinsa Temple, inside the Abbots meeting room.**

Gyeo and Leom stood inside the Abbots meeting room with documents in hand.

"Welcome back." The Abbot greeted them both.

Both monks greeted the Abbot,"We are happy to return, Abbot." Leom said.

"How was your stay at the palace?" The Abbot asked.

Leom and Gyeo approached the Abbots desk. Leom set down the book on his table.

"Our work is complete; The King has received a copy of the fully translated book." Leom stated.

"He asked that the book be kept away from the palace in a safe place. Therefore, we have brought it back with us."

Gyeo addressed the Abbot, "Here is our full report."

The Abbot took a few minutes as he read Gyeo's report.

Both monks waited patiently.

The Abbot stopped reading, looked up, and asked, "Ji-Mong?"

Gyeo, answered, "The King's star diviner. On our arrival at the palace, he met us. We remained as guests in his tower. He proved instrumental in helping us decipher the more difficult parts of the book."

Gyeo stopped for a moment before continuing. "He died a year later. He drowned at the Daminwon during an eclipse."

The room was quiet for a minute as the Abbot remained in thought.

Leom then continued, "We believe the information in the book was as much of interest to Ji-Mong as to the King."

"Go on." The Abbot said.

"The book contains specific dates. 1,000 years into the future. It records the relationship between the eclipses, the Daminwon and a way to travel between incarnations. We believe Ji-Mong was searching for this information." Leom said.

"What relationship would that be?" The Abbot asked.

Leom answered, "Certain events can trigger the door to open. For example, the eclipse, when it reaches totality. It is a marker that shows the door has opened."

The monk continued, "The Daminwon, and travelling thru water, we believe it changes the traveler. The nature of the trip. It helps them retain their memory after reincarnation."

Then Leom said, "And something else…."

The Abbot's eyes stayed on Leom.

"This, Ji-Mong did not learn of this before leaving. The way a person reincarnates affects the traveler….

The lady's reincarnation as an adult. It interrupted the usual cycle.

The Heaven's way of keeping balance. The natural order of being born from childhood to adulthood."

Gyeo chimed in then, "Ji-Mong was searching for this information. He understood the door would open, but he wanted to understand the side effects affecting the traveler. He didn't understand the relationship with the lady's heart condition."

"He was seeking confirmation from the lady's writing." Gyeo finished.

The Abbots face remained calm, as he nodded deep in thought.

In a calm voice the Abbot added, "The Heavens kept balance. They provided Lady Hae Soo with a heart in Goryeo strong enough to help King Gwangjong to become King. What she gained in strength she lost in time."

Silence filled the room again.

"He has returned, then?" The Abbot asked.

Both monks nodded.

"We believe after his second trip to Goryeo, Ji-Mong has returned to that future." Gyeo said.

Both monks met the Abbot's eyes then.

All three stood in silence again.

The Abbot's gaze traveled to the window.

He then slowly gathered the materials on his desk, and with a small satisfied smile said, "Well done Leom and Gyeo. Thank you for your work."

"Please ensure the book is kept in a safe place." The Abbot added.

Both monks nodded in agreement.

Then bowed to the Abbot before exiting.

 ** _Inside the Palace at the Daminwon_**

King Gwangjong stood watching the outside pool at the Daminwon.

Two ladies approached carrying tea to refill his cup. He turned seeing them approach and dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

He stood alone by the pool in contemplation.

A memory of another time, came back to him.

He had returned to the palace as a prince after being a hostage.

King Taejo had asked him to return for the rain ritual. Ji-Mong had suggested he bathe at the Daminwon pool.

He had entered this same pool then.

That day, as he entered the pool, he had met Hae Soo.

Emerging from the pools depths, she had moved as fast as a water dragon, startling him into taking a step back.

From the start, all their encounters had been far from ordinary.

He had first met her in the town street, as he galloped towards 8th Prince's home.

She had ended that encounter riding his horse, as he tried to keep her from falling into a creek.

Afterwards, she restrained his horse with her bare hands. A feat few soldiers would even attempt.

Their second meeting had ended with him physically restraining her from beating prince Eun.

No one else would have dared touch a prince, but she had pushed the young prince to the ground and sat on him.

Everything about Hae Soo had been different.

As the memories returned, he felt a sense of amusement now looking back at all of it.

He remembered the time a young Prince Jung had been attacked, and she had come to his rescue.

She had single-handed fended off a gang of criminals with just a stick.

Prince Jung, Prince Wook and himself had been too surprised to do anything but just watch her as she ended that encounter with a big smile and a hug for Prince Jung.

Only now did he understand enough to know why she was different.

Only now did he understand the courage it must have taken for her to keep this secret for so long.

He knew now, that whatever the place Hae Soo came from, or whatever her name, it was her heart he had fallen in love with above all else.

The heart that had allowed for Goryeo to have a King Gwangjong.

That heart had changed the King he became.

She had been as trapped by the constraints of the palace, as she was by time itself and his own history.

Ji-Mong had been a puppet master all along in this play that fate seemed to have set for them.

Pieces in the puzzle he had spent most of his reign searching for, now fit into a complete picture.

He knew enough now, to make sense of their life together.

Scenes of that life replayed in his mind.

He had analyzed every detail, so that he felt like he had lived several lifetimes with Hae Soo instead of just a portion of one.

Without her, things would have turned out very differently.

He spoke her name out loud slowly, trying to familiarize himself with the sound … "Hae Jin."

Time, the work of two persistent monks, and mounting evidence had all brought him to stand at this pool today.

The Daminwon had held its secrets for too long.

Ji-Mong had died at this pool during an eclipse.

King Mu had drowned here too.

Hae Soo had traveled to him in this pool, as well.

He moved to take a step down into the pool, but before he could reach it, waves suddenly stirred in the pool.

The ground shifted under his feet.

He struggled to keep his balance.

He heard ceramics shattering on the floor behind him.

Yelling inside the Daminwon followed as the ground continued shaking more violently.

The ground slid away under his feet as the waves from the pool increased in strength and splashed him.

The thought of that water dragon came to him again.

He almost expected it to come rising out of the pool.

Small rocks from the rock wall surrounding the pool, fell into the pool adding to the churning waves.

The columns shook, and he expected them to fall into the pool as well.

For a moment he couldn't understand what was happening.

Shouts inside the Daminwon echoed from its first and second floor.

"Earthquake!"


	13. Chapter 13

_**"**_ _ **Just like the butterfly. I too will awaken in my own time."~Deborah Chaskin.**_

 **Modern Day Seoul, South Korea.**

 **Inside a coffeeshop**

At the coffee shop, the rain still poured.

She sat by the window awaiting his answer.

She had asked him, "Who are you?"

Silence had followed.

She watched his eyes, measuring the sincerity of his responses.

He seemed relaxed and at ease.

As memories of the day when she had first traveled to Goryeo came back, details started to come back.

She had sat on that dock, drinking soju.

He had been there too.

An image of him then, superimposed on him now.

Her eyes stayed glued to his face.

Searching, trying to record the changes she saw in him now.

The homeless man she remembered had looked different from the man that stood in front of her now.

There where physical changes in him.

She remembered the side of his face had a scar. As a cosmetic consultant that had registered it when she met him first.

She could not see that scar now.

Was it surgery? Cosmetics?

His teeth where different too.

The homeless person she had met did not have perfect teeth.

Was he that same homeless person she had met before leaving for Goryeo?

Could he have transformed so quickly in two years?

A thought, suddenly hit her.

Could she have changed events in the future by travelling back to Goryeo?

When she left for Goryeo, this man was homeless.

Did her actions change his future?

Was this Ji-Mong?

And who exactly had Ji-Mong been?

He searched inside his wallet, and extended a card to her.

"I'm Ji-Won. I'm a historian." He said with a smile.

My specialty is the study of Goryeo. The collection of paintings you saw displayed earlier at the gallery… I oversaw curating the exhibit." he said with pride in his voice.

"Our company's exhibit on Goryeo era cosmetics and paintings was sponsored by ISOI cosmetics. "

Hae Jin looked down at the card he gave her. She read, "Ji-Won Head of Research. Nabi Enterprises."

A butterfly logo was printed next to his name.

As she read, he continued," The collection is especially held in esteem by our CEO."

"You seem very familiar. I seem to recall meeting you before my accident, at the dock. Have we met before?" She asked him.

He addressed her again, "Accident?"

"It was during an eclipse. I nearly drowned after jumping in to save a child who had fallen into the water. I was in a coma for a year. I have recently recovered my memories."

As she watched him listening to her, she added, "After the accident, you could say things changed for me. In many ways the coma,... it was like traveling to a faraway place. There are many things I am seeking answers to after that day."

He shook his head, then said, "I'm sure your kind heart and your decision to jump in and help that day made a difference for those you helped." then added, "You paid a large personal price for that decision."

Hae Jin realized, whether this man was Ji-Mong or not, his indirect answering style had not changed. She felt like she was playing a cat and mouse game with him.

Looking straight at Ji-Won, Hae Jin answered, "I guess only time will tell if the sacrifice was worth it."

"Time is an interesting way to measure cause and effect. Small actions can have big ripple effects. Sometimes a butterfly's wings can move in one place causing a hurricane somewhere else." Ji-Won said. "Your small actions, can have big effects. This is also part of the philosophy of our company. The reason for the name Nabi and our butterfly logo."

Have you worked long for ISOI as a cosmetic consultant, Ms. Hae Jin?", he asked.

"I have worked for them for 5 years." Hae Jin answered.

"Our CEO seemed very impressed with you, he asked me to ensure you where taken care of, after the gallery."

Hae Jin sat in silence listening to his words.

She kept her face in check trying not to show her emotions.

Instead she focused on the meaning in her words.

"The gallery collection, you suggested I view….it was such an interesting choice of pictures. I can say after seeing it, that it was a new awakening for me. A massive surprise."

As she spoke, she opened her purse, and slowly pulled out and held in her hand what she was looking for.

"At the exhibit, I was moved to tears." she said.

"It seems help arrived just in time." She added.

Ji-Won smiled at her with understanding and added, "Our CEO, is very fond of art and historically accurate portraits. He was there for the opening of the exhibit."

"I must thank him for his kindness." Hae Jin said, as she extended the handkerchief she received from him.


	14. Chapter 14

**_"_** ** _A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." ~Lao- Tsu_**

 **Year 975 (4th Month of the Lunar Calendar (June))**

 **26** **th** **Year of King Gwangjong's Reign**

 **At the Daemi-Won.**

Lady Seol, walked through her early morning rounds. She visited the room where patients recovered, while four assistants followed behind her. One gave her a report.

The first earthquake had been followed by a second one two months later, and had quickly filled them to full capacity with patients.

It had taken almost two years to slowly recover from its aftermath.

As she looked around the room it no longer looked completely full.

Many had lost their homes and all their belongings.

In addition to supervising the patients and those working, she also needed to inspect the kitchen.

They served meals for the patients and continued to distribute rice to families in need after the earthquake.

This clinic had become a lifeline for the poor.

As she gave the last of her instructions to the ladies following her, she saw Geosa approaching and dismissed her attendants.

She had been awaiting his return for several weeks.

They walked outside together to afford themselves some privacy.

A crisp wind blew and the sun was out.

The breeze was a welcome respite in the middle of the summer heat.

It felt good to be outside on a day like this.

She spent most of her days inside and rarely found a moment to step outside.

She closed her eyes and turned her face, letting the sun warm her for a minute.

The feeling of the wind and sun on her face helped to clear all the thoughts and worries running through her mind.

Geosa shared the silence with her for a moment, then greeted her.

"Welcome back." She said to him.

"I am glad to be back Lady." Geosa answered.

She stayed quiet allowing Geosa to speak.

"I have met with many of the monks in the surrounding villages.

They speak to the people every day as they ask for alms.

The people are slowly recovering.

Many have lost their homes, and everything in them.

Families have lost their loved ones too.

The people are blaming the King for the earthquake and for their misfortune."

Geosa paused, remembering many of conversations he had had over the past month.

Lady Seol could tell seeing people in pain had taken its toll on Geosa. He looked tired.

"The monks remind the people that they have a King that cares for their welfare. The Daemin-won can help. They reminded the people that they are not alone."

Geosa paused, then continued deep in thought, "I have visited Haeinsa Temple, Lady...

The Queen fears this is the King's weakest moments and believes enemies will strike the King in favor of a new King.

The Queen has sent a letter for you." Geosa said, extending the letter to her. Then added,

"The Abbot has also sent two monks who travel back with me. Leom and Gyeo. They will be returning to the Palace."

Geosa then approached her and slowly placed a small box in her hands.

"The Queen prepared this herself. She has added instructions for its proper use. She asked that I personally deliver this to you." He continued,

"She said, to tell you, her hopes are in you, Lady Seol."

As she listened to his words, Lady Seol nodded acknowledging the Queen's message.

"Also, our visitor has arrived. "Geosa added,

"He is waiting for you in the front courtyard."

Lady Seol then addressed Geosa,

"You should join us for the morning meal. It will soon be ready."

Before Geosa turned to enter the Daemin-won she spoke, again.

"Geosa, although we've never spoken of it in all these years. I am glad the King sent you to me as a child. Thank you."

Geosa met her eyes for a moment in acknowledgement.

Then said," Much has been lost lady, but not all. Along with everything else, hope will still rise tomorrow." He then bowed before heading back into the Daemin-won.

She again turned towards the sun enjoying the last rays.

Staying outside she opened the letter to read its contents.

Some time later, Lady Seol walked towards the front courtyard.

As she approached, the sound of a song being played reached her.

She heard the laughter of children.

The sound of music inside the Daemin-won made her pause momentarily.

He sat on a stone wall. Children sat around him as he told them a story.

 _…_ _On that day only, after so many years_

 _Lady Moon could meet the Sun,_

 _And for a moment he could hide inside her embrace._

He then began to play a melody.

She felt as captivated by it's sound as the children.

It had been such a long time since she had heard music played this well.

The children did not realize the person that played for them was a Prince.

Prince Baek-Ah. The King's brother.

As a child in her father's house, she had enjoyed his visits.

She had sat the way those children did now, asking for another song.

He had also traveled to meet her on occasion over the years, with letters from the King.

Seeing her standing, watching him; He stopped playing and smiled at her.

The children complained loudly, as the music stopped, making him smile again.

"That is all for today." he said to them with finality.

He rose as she approached him and bowed a greeting to him with a small smile,

"Welcome Uncle. That is a beautiful song. I am not used to hearing music at the Daemin-won." She said.

"Your smile always reminds me of your mother." He said.

"It is a song to help the children understand and not fear the eclipse that will be happening in a few months. The people fear eclipses as omens of change."

As he spoke his eyes traveled to the box and the letter she still held in her hand.

"I will be traveling with you to your father's house and afterwards to the palace to be with the King." He said.

"The King has asked for me. He needs me."Her eyes fell to the box for a moment as she heard his words.

"You must be busy trying to complete work at the Daemin-Won before traveling." He added.

"I can tell you when I returned home this year to my family there was excitement about you coming to meet your new husband and join our family. He is a fortunate man, Lady Seol."The genuine warmth in his voice spoke more to her than his words.

Prince Baek-Ah added, "Your father will be glad to see you return home. I am looking forward to seeing my brother too."

Lady Seol looked at Prince Baek-Ah and said, "It will be a change to leave the Daemin-Won. I have spent so many years inside its walls."

Then after a moment of thought, she said, " It is a time for new beginnings, for all of us."

 **One Month Later**

 **(5** **th** **Month of the Lunar Calendar -July)**

 **At Prince Jung's Home.**

That morning her father rode to the palace after an urgent messenger had arrived at his house to summon him.

Lady Seol sat in the garden at a chair and table that had been set out overlooking the woods surrounding her Father's property.

Crows sat on one of the branches.

Their loud sounds shattering the silence.

Her thoughts returned to her days at the palace.

She had used all the knowledge gained at the temple to help the King.

She had kept her promise to follow the Queen's instructions.

He had received the box.

It now remained in the hands of Prince Baek-Ah.

She heard the footsteps approaching before she saw her father.

His face held that quiet dignity earned through many campaigns fighting.

She knew before he said the words to her that the world as she had known it up to then had just shifted.

Silently he sat down next to her.

In a flat voice he said, "The King has died.

Her father's uttered words continued to fall like stones.

"Despite your help Seol, the poison was too strong." He added.

"The official line at the palace, is that the King died from illness."

After a long moment, he continued.

"Crown Prince Wang Ju is our new King.

"Along the other nobles, I just paid homage to our new King."

As he finished, she lowered her head and in a sad voice said,

"Father, it is very hard to let go of loved ones."

His hand reached for hers and he held it in his own.

 **5 Months later of the Lunar Calendar (December)**

 **Inside the Palace**

There was nervous anticipation on the palace grounds as they awaited the eclipse.

Goryeo's new King, King Gyeongjong stood on the open courtyard waiting to watch the eclipse.

Many in the palace grounds waited outside too, despite the cold.

The doors to the Daminwon remained closed for the day.

The outside pool usually remained closed during the winter months.

The moon began covering the sun in the eclipses initial stage.

To anyone present to watch, the figure descending the steps into the Daminwon's outside pool during the eclipse would have believed a ghost had appeared at the Daminwon.

As the eclipse reached totality that same figure disappeared into the water's depths.

Water enveloped everything.

The time had come to keep his promise to find her.

The world became dark as night and then slowly the light returned.

Three figures with their backs to the pool kept watch.

Prince Baek-Ah and two monks entered the pool quietly.

Ready to serve their King one last time.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Miracles_**

 ** _"_** ** _Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles." ~Edwin Louis Cole_**

 **Modern Day Seoul, South Korea.**

 **Inside the Library.**

Hae Jin tried to land her steps softly as she walked on the floor.

She enjoyed the quiet inside the library but realized it also made her feel uncomfortable.

Every single noise she made seemed amplified inside a library.

The lady behind the counter looked up and met her eyes and seeing her approach gave her a small smile.

She recognized Hae Jin from her multiple trips to the library these past weeks.

She had answered many of her questions about where to locate Goryeo history resources.

Hae Jin sat by a corner table with a window view.

She had picked this spot the first day she had started her research and had seemed to gravitate to the same table every day.

Her notebook, backpack, phone, laptop and books spread on the table.

She had started coming to the library the day after her meeting at the coffeeshop.

She knew now, that her answers would need to come from books and research.

Her laptop stood open, and she typed _King Gwangjong_ into the search engine.

The first thing she would do every time she arrived at the library is browse through his life as a King.

She had read about the reforms during his reign.

She read slowly once more,

 _When he ascended the throne at the age of 25, the Kingdom was unstable….his first law was the emancipation of slaves…._

 _King Gwangjong rewarded those who contributed to the progress of Goryeo… he instituted the national service examination, to expel people from powerful clans from positions of inherited power….He created the Daebi-won "houses of mercy" providing free medicine to the poor…._

 _He saw the association of church and state…._

 _King Gwangjong founded temples and chose the Abbot at Heinsa Temple to promote buddhism…_

As her eyes reached his later years and death, she stopped.

Despite having read this part more than once, she still felt confused and sad when she read it again.

She continued,

 _In 971 an earthquake occurred in Goryeo, the nobles and the people blamed the King…_

As she read the last line, the memory of King Taejo and the rain ritual

came back to her.

It seemed some things had not changed for King Taejo's son after he became King.

The people had blamed King Taejo for the lack of rain, and therefore the rain ritual had happened.

The information she had been searching for followed.

 _In July, (fifth month of the lunar calendar), 975 after 26 years of reign, he developed a serious disease and died a few days later._

No matter how many times she read that line, it still hurt her to read those words.

Had he died alone?

There were so many things she wanted to understand about his years as King.

The books could only give her some of the answers.

She continued reading.

 _His son Wang Ju, succeeded reign lasted only 6 years._

Once more Hae Jin stopped.

She stayed quiet in her thoughts and looked out the window.

Queen Daemok's son, had become Crown Prince and King.

Her gaze returned to a different book on her table that contained information about Goryeo eclipses.

Her hand held a pencil and traveled to her notes.

She underlined the title, Goryeo Era Eclipses

This last book she had used to seek answers about her time travel.

She did not know if she was onto answers, if it was just a suspicion, or if this was all wishful thinking on her part to research eclipses and their consequences hoping for answers.

She read the dates she had jotted down alongside her calculations.

Her pencil point traveled to the last date she had written.

 _Goryeo Eclipses in 975._

 _ **Total eclipse.**_

 _ **December**_ _ **.**_ _ **975.**_

Right next to it she had written,

 _ **King Gwangjong's death**_

 _ **July. 975.**_

She continued underlining the month on the last date, and as she applied more pressure on the pencil, the point snapped.

The sound of it breaking made her stop again.

He had missed the eclipse by 5 months.

She looked out the window once more.

The eclipse had happened on the same year of King Gwangjong's death, but it happened 5 months after the King's death.

Her thoughts traveled then to her meeting at the coffee shop.

The encounters over the last days had started her on this road to finding answers about time travel.

As Hae Jin sat in the library she set her pencil down, and reached for one of the books next to her.

It was a book of poems.

She browsed thru it until she found the poem she was looking for by Wang Wei, called Zhognan Mountain Retreat and located the familiar lines,

 _When the water has run dry._

 _Sit and watch the rising cloud._

She closed the book, and held it in her hands, wrapping her arms around it, holding it close to her heart.

She no longer believed in coincidences.

She reached inside her purse and pulled out the handkerchief, wondering if she needed to wait for the rising cloud

Or pray the cloud would find her first.

Moments later she reached inside her purse and found the invitation and read it one more time.

Nabi Enterprises Christmas Party was scrolled in gold on a white invitation.

The invitation had arrived in the mail.

She had sent her response saying she would attend.

Pulling out the invitation to the party she had just left before coming to the library made her remember what had happened there.

She had arrived alone.

Feeling more nervous than glad.

Despite the fancy white and gold decorations, the feel of the party was that of a corporate event.

The festive decorations, lights and the snow outside made the streets in Seoul seem like the sort of Christmas scenery she loved to see in post cards.

A true winter wonderland.

Despite the cold she would have preferred a walk outside to see the lights than standing by the buffet table with a drink in hand in a dress trying to appear casual and mingle.

She knew she was failing at both.

She knew what had her feeling nervous, it was the handkerchief and returning it that had made her show up today.

It was the questions that never left her head.

It was hoping that among these fractured conversations during these encounters she could find clues any clues to help her understand what was happening.

She remembered the gallery and meeting him as she knelt crying after watching the exhibit.

He had walked quietly behind her.

A handkerchief had been extended to her then.

A familiar voice she hadn't expected had said, "You seem to need this. "

She had stopped crying and looked up in shock to see his familiar face standing next to her, looking down at her with kind eyes.

An announcement at the door as the CEO for Nabi enterprises walked into the party was followed by applause, bringing her thoughts back to the party.

He stopped at the door for a moment and then spotted her as he walked slowly towards where she stood.

All eyes turned towards her.

She froze in place realizing he was about to reach her.

He stopped in front of her and greeted her warmly, "Welcome Ms. Hae Jin.

Thank you for coming."

Hae Jin had tried to prepare herself to meet him, and she had answered automatically, "Thank you for inviting me."

She heard herself speak feeling disconnected from herself.

As if she watched this happening to someone else not her.

For a moment it was as if time stopped and she could almost feel the veil between her modern-day self and her Goryeo self-evaporating as memories of Goryeo came back.

"You're looking very beautiful in red, the color suits you." He said smiling.

The compliment took her by surprise. Making him smile more.

"Thank you" she said.

"No tears today." He added.

The mention of her crying at the gallery made her suddenly remember why she was here.

She pulled out the handkerchief saying, "I wanted to thank you for your help and return this to you and ask more about the exhibit and its origins. I was too emotional to really find out more about the artist, and the collection." As she spoke she extended the handkerchief to him.

"Please keep it. I appreciate someone who appreciates good art. You looked so distraught. I feel flattered that our collection moved you, and interests you so much. "

He then added, "Only a pure heart can truly appreciate how art imitates life. Christmas is a time for miracles." He added winking at her and smiling again.

"We should schedule an appointment to meet and discuss the exhibit. "As he said this Ji-Won who stood behind him greeted her with a nod.

"Thank you for joining us today. I look forward to meeting again. "He said politely adding with a smile "Please enjoy the party."

She said her goodbyes as she saw Nabin Enterprises CEO walk away to rejoin the rest of the party. Behind him walked Ji-Won.

There were so many things she still wanted to know and ask him. Her emotions stirred again as memories of their last meeting came back.

A part of her felt relief to see him here again. Alive and well.

Especially now, she could confirm for the second time she had met King

Wang Mu himself in the modern world.

An announcement over the library speakers said the library would be closing in 15 minutes making Hae Jin stop thinking about the Christmas party she had left earlier.

She had headed straight to the library after the party to keep herself from loosing her mind as questions she couldn't answer would keep her from sleeping, and fill her every waking moment.

She slowly gathered her things, and prepared to go home.

It was Christmas Eve.

Outside she walked slowly on the sidewalk, as snow flurries continued to fall.

Most people were celebrating or heading to parties to celebrate Christmas.

Pedestrians passed her by, and she could feel their excitement over the holiday.

Her feet left footprints in the snow.

Her heart felt tired and burdened.

A familiar pressure made her pound her chest lightly with her fist.

She continued walking.

The sudden quiet in the street made her look around.

A few shops remained opened.

She saw the pet store window she had been searching for and the light inside still on.

She walked in following like a moth to the flame.

She entered the shop.

A bell on the door chimed as she opened it to enter.

Christmas music played inside.

She slowly walked towards the back of the store.

A cage held what she was looking for, two white puppies she visited occasionally after her visits to the library.

It had comforted her to see them cuddling up against each other.

Sleeping next to each other for warmth, before she reached them, she saw a mother and daughter standing in front of them watching the puppies too.

Behind the cage a large window pane overlooked a large Christmas tree with blinking lights in the outside plaza.

The little girl's face could hardly contain her excitement as one of the puppies was pulled out of the cage and placed in her hands by an assistant.

The assistant brought a small blanket to wrap the puppy and provided instructions for feeding and caring for it.

As Hae Jin watched silently from a small distance, she smiled to see the little girl's excitement.

"What will you name her?" Her mother asked.

The little girl stayed quiet thinking.

Then blurted out "snowflake."

Her mother added with a smile, "It's like your new friend is a Christmas miracle."

"Mom, what's a miracle? "The little girl asked.

Her mother stayed silent for a moment considering, then answered, "It's the moment your heart realizes magic has finally found you."

Both mother and daughter had smiled at each other as the assistant had finished preparing a carrier for snowflake to travel to her new home.

She heard the bell at the door chime again.

The store stood quiet and empty of customers.

Hae Jin held in her hands the puppy left behind.

Snowflakes companion.

He was alone.

The realization made her tears well up as she held his warm body in her hands.

Her tears continued to fall, and she tried to softly rub behind his ears.

She didn't know if the motion with her fingers was her trying to console the puppy or if she was here expecting the puppy to console her.

The puppy seeing her tears started licking her nose.

Its wet tongue took her by surprise.

She momentarily wished she had no rules in her apartment against pets.

She rubbed its warm fur against her cheek one last time considering its eyes.

"I'm sorry. I have to go" She said to him.

The Christmas lights on the tree outside continued blinking their light reflected into the store.

On and off.

After a long silence she prepared to return the puppy to its cage.

She reached up balancing the puppy in one hand towards the cage door.

The latch was stuck.

Trying to balance the puppy and open the door was proving difficult, she tried looking around to spot the assistant.

She saw someone moving behind her, their image reflected on the window.

For a moment she stopped, then slightly rubbed her eyes with one hand.

Then she heard soft footsteps approaching and stop.

A soft voice from behind her said,

"You never did listen. You never did stay in one place."

Hearing that voice, she thought her heart would stop right there and then.

The voice continued,

"I told you to stay with me. I told you, you could not leave me without my permission."

The familiarity of his voice and his words shifted her entire world.

She saw his reflection on the window pane in front of her. "The modern world suits you better anyways than being a court lady."

He added with amusement and a smile.

Since waking up from her comma and recovering her memories the world she lived in every day was outlined in shades of grey.

Time slowed down for her as light and color streamed in with his every word.

The warmth of his voice was like rain to a desert.

Filling all the empty spaces.

She closed her eyes as her whole being stayed focused on the sound of his voice.

Afraid to move and break its spell on her.

As tears fell she didn't even try to stop them.

She feared her legs wouldn't be able to hold her weight, as her body started visibly shaking.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't turn.

All she could do was hold her breath in expectation.

His warm embrace enveloped her slowly supporting her as he came up behind her wrapping his arms around her.

His hands reached for the latch to the cage and taking the puppy gently from her hands he returned it to its cage.

Her body remained in shock and frozen as her eyes opened traveling to her now empty hands.

"I missed you." He whispered close to her ear as his chin came closer to her gently resting on her shoulder.

She looked up towards the Christmas tree and the window pane as modern versions of themselves now looked back at her locked in an embrace. She could see the trace of tears streaming down her cheeks. She could see his face, and his eyes looking at her. Both of their reflections on the window pane over imposed on the tree.

It's lights now seemed brighter as if the entire world had filled up with hope.

A soft Christmas song continued playing inside the store.

She closed her eyes again feeling her hands in his.

His solid presence letting her heart slowly accept the magic unfolding.

"You will always be my person, Hae Jin. "He said in a soft voice for her ears alone, "It is now our time for miracles. Merry Christmas."


	16. Chapter 16

**Reunion**

"The only thing sweeter than union is reunion." -Kathleen McGowan

These days Hae Jin rode in a car to so many locations. This morning they were riding to a Saturday morning hike in the mountains.

Five months ago, she was still taking the bus to travel around Seoul. Since then, so much continued to change.

Her mind seemed to be catching up with understanding how he had found her. The modern world afforded them time to have conversations, in a way that Goryeo had not. They found time to meet around their jobs and daily routines.

Here, the days seemed to move faster. Here, they were not surrounded by a royal household constantly enmeshed in its plots, scandals, and day to day responsibilities. Here, their hearts could meet as two ordinary people.

In Goryeo the days had seemed longer, and time had passed slower.

The modern world suddenly felt so rushed. The realization that five months together had already passed made her feel like time here slipped like water thru her hands.

Their times together were frequent here. Jeong Jun seemed focused on making every minute they spent together matter.

If only her heart could move as fast as her mind had, into fully accepting all of it. Most days, she felt as if she walked in a dream afraid of waking up.

Jeong Jun seemed to know she was struggling and simply continued to be by her side, accompanying her thru long silences. Holding her hand to comfort her, and continuing to move them along, as they engaged in activities. As if he understood, time would eventually help her heart catch up, and until then he would keep them both going thru the motions. Adapting to life together in the modern world.

Her mind which had asked endless questions before he appeared, now seemed to almost hold in expectation of the day to come.

Each conversation fit another piece into place and brought another surprise, another explanation, a new way to look at everything.

"We're here." Jun said turning the engine off. Looking out the window, with a satisfied smile he added," The weather is holding. Sunny, but not too warm." Turning to her he smiled. "It's going to be a good day. "

Seeing his enthusiasm, and the smile in his eyes, made her smile too.

Moments later, they sat on a rock as he checked their backpacks one more time. He had packed light but necessary as he told her; Rain jackets, snacks, food, water, first aid kit, flashlight, map.

He tested the straps on her backpack. Adjusting the straps for her comfort. His closeness even now continued to take her by surprise.

Seeing her hiking boot shoelace undone, he knelt before she could to tie it. Lifting her leg onto a small rock for support. He leaned on one knee too.

Seeing the top of his head and his short hair, she remembered the days when his hair had been long. She gently touched the shorter strands on top of his head making him look up.

She couldn't resist teasing him, "Jeong Jun you're a regular boy scout, aren't you?" she said.

He smiled at her and said, "You never know when wolves will come along. If you don't want to be eaten, you should be prepared. Lucky for you, you have me. Sometimes it takes one wolf to fight off another." He answered with a grin.

His casual reference to the past again took her by surprise.

Before she could think, he strapped his own pack on, and said, "There's a temple at the top of the mountain. It's the highlight of the trip. Come on. We don't want to be coming back after sundown…. Remember those wolves…." He said as he walked off, leaving her to focus on the hike ahead.

They were more than halfway to their destination when, they stopped to eat. The hike made her legs feel tired and sore.

She sat on the ground looking through her pack to find the sandwiches she had packed.

He sat close to her, his arms wrapped around his knees. Their arms and legs touching. She could feel his warmth radiating from his clothes. She ate slowly.

She looked up into the nearby treetops realizing that real silence now surrounded them.

He spoke, breaking the silence, "It's the real quiet in Goryeo I miss most. I never realized I would miss it." He said while biting into his second sandwich.

Watching how he ate she was glad she had packed extras.

She could hear birds up on the branches and the brook gurgling nearby. Taking a deep breath, she suddenly felt grateful.

The exercise and quiet was exactly what she needed. She felt relaxed and at peace as a real smile suddenly crept up on her.

His eyes followed her every expression.

Noise from the trail made them look up as a man and two children approached.

The boy was in his teens, the girl was 10 or 11 years old.

They greeted them and stopped to talk before continuing the trail.

The girl held one of her father's hands, and handed him flowers she picked. His son complained loudly about how they would never reach the temple if she continued.

The father's free hand-held flowers and his smile showed he was enjoying their dilemma.

As they walked away, Hae Jin wished her every thought and feeling in that moment were not spelled clearly across her face for Jun to see as her eyes traveled to the daughter and her father's intertwined hands.

Fearing Jun could read her like a book, she tried to focus on packing away the remains of their lunch shielding her eyes.

As the family walked away, he spoke.

"She had your smile. Seol."

His words left her tuning in to his every word, letting her imagination fill the gaps for all the images her eyes would never see.

"She was very knowledgeable in medicinal herbs. Her skills helped many at the Daemi-won. She grew up smart, a little rebellious, strong and beautiful; she was loved by Prince Jung and their family."

He paused for a moment drinking some water from his water bottle then continued, "She knew I was her father. I watched over her…. I loved her." He ended.

Their first week together their conversations had centered on Seol.

Feeling a now familiar sadness, Hae Jin stood up and walked towards the creek wooden bridge. He followed her and stood next to her watching its rushing waters through the rails.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

She took a moment and then said," I was thinking about stolen moments."

"Are you regretting things again?" He asked.

She didn't look at him, but nodded slowly in answer.

His hand reached for hers then.

Then after a moment, she asked, "Did you hate me after I left you? After you found out about Seol? After you knew who I really was?"

He placed his hands on her shoulders then, turning her slowly to meet his eyes.

She could see her answers in them.

He kissed her forehead.

His simple "No" was enough for her.

It was afternoon by the time they reached the gates to the temple.

The doors stood open for visitors.

They walked up the narrow path and through gates to reach an open courtyard.

They stood watching the view of the surrounding mountains as two monks quietly approached. She was taken by surprise when they were both greeted in the manner she remembered those at court greeting them.

"Welcome to Haeinsa temple." One of the monks said.

Then turning the monk faced Jeung Jun and said softly, "The Abbot would like to meet with you. We have been expecting you, Your Majesty."


	17. Chapter 17

**_Tapestry_**

 ** _"Time unfolds beauty, wonder, and mystery to reveal the auspicious tapestry of life." ― A.D. Posey_**

 **At Haeinsa Temple**

Hae- Jin stood in front of the open doors to the Buddha Hall. Jeong Jun had left to meet with the Abbot. She had chosen to continue seeing the temple. She stood before one of the statues trying to clear her head of worries and questions. She tried not to wonder what the Abbot and Jun were discussing. Jun had said she could go to the meeting, but she knew she was already struggling with understanding the changes up to now. At times, the past could come riding in and surprise her. She would wait and let Jun tell her once they reached home.

A man's tentative voice called her by name, "Ms. Hae- Jin?"

She turned to see the man they had met on the trail standing shyly at a distance.

He smiled at her and said, "I thought I recognized you and your boyfriend when we saw you on the trail. It is an auspicious meeting Ms. Hae- Jin. My children and I are here at the temple to give thanks. We feel doubly blessed running into you today." As he spoke his eyes traveled to his children who were taking pictures on the open courtyard close to the hall.

"You might not remember me. I'm Ji-Suk. You were there the day the accident at the dock happened. You jumped in and saved our son Ji-Yun." As he spoke his eyes glanced towards teenage boy they had met on the trail.

"He isn't a child anymore." There was joy in his voice when he added with a smile, "His mother is having a tough time keeping his clothes fitting. He seems to grow overnight at times."

"How are you feeling? Have you been able to recover fully from the accident?" He asked.

Hae -Jin tried to focus as memories of the day at the dock came flooding back. "I am doing well. Thank you. I have returned to work." She said.

"I am glad to hear it Ms. Hae- Jin. We owe you. Your courage to jump in that day to save Ji-Yun got you injured. I tried to reach for your hand once the boat reached you, but you went under the water so quickly. As if you were being pulled by something. He had a life vest on that day which saved him. He tried to reach for you too. When he was leaning out of the boat, his weight tipped our boat over. Ji-Yun was hit by the boat and it gave him a severe concussion. I managed to swim with him to shore. His vest acted as a floater for both of us. You were both in the same hospital . He spent a month recovering from a coma. "

"Ji-Yun was in a coma too? I didn't know. My mother never told me. I'm sorry" She said.

"Please don't be Ms. Hae -Jin. We are the ones who feel terribly apologetic to you and your family. We visited you in the hospital and tried to pay for your hospital stay but the lady at the hospital told us the bill was being paid in full by your boyfriend. He was also the one who pulled you out of the water that day. We could tell he loves you very much as we saw how he cared for you at the hospital. We were so grateful he was there for you." He said with relief in his voice.

Hae -Jin stood in stunned silence for a minute, trying to make sense of all this additional information.

Her heart felt scared. She could sense the panic starting to form, as questions started to slowly fill her mind.

"You say, I was pulled out of the water by my boyfriend? I'm sorry but many things after the coma are still not clear to me, my memories are mixed up a bit." She said trying to get clarification from him.

"I understand" he said, "Ji-Yun went thru the same thing. He woke up with mixed memories. He even said to us he remembered living in the past in Goryeo, as a Prince." The father added with a small embarrassed smile.

As the father looked up Ji-Yun and his daughter stood next to him. Wondering who their father spoke too. The girl walked to her father and held his hand.

"Ji-Yun, this is Ms. Hae- Jin. She is the one who pulled you out of the water during the dock accident. We spent many days waiting for both of you to recover at the hospital. Today we all meet here. She is your savior." He said, then turned to his daughter and added," Ms. Hae- Jin this is my daughter, Ji-Ye-Seul".

Hae Jin tried to smile at them then slowly and deliberately Hae- Jin met Ji-Yun's eyes. Trying to see in them traces of the past and searching for traces of a face she remembered.

A long silence surrounded them as their eyes met.

A veil fell for Hae - Jin as images of the past flooded back.

The soldiers had flooded the Daminwon blocking their escape. Their cries of "Find the 10th Prince!" had made them realize they only had moments left. Park Soon-Deok had put herself in the direct line of fire to save Prince Eun.

She had tried to escape with him after Soon-Deok had left, but Prince Eun wouldn't move.

Fear had filled her then, but Prince Eun had remained calm, saying to her, "What can I do? I am her awesome person now. I am all she has." His smile had been the last one she saw from him as he pulled his arm out of her grasp and followed his wife leaving her empty handed.

She stood in full realization of the enormity of what was about to happen then.

In her mind she could see the battle field and the open courtyard, as they knelt afterwards; their faces in complete devastation: Prince Jung, General Park Soo-Kyung holding his daughter's fallen body, and herself with Prince Eun 's body next to Soon-Deok's.

The general had asked her if they had been happy?

He had said his Seon-Deok would have married him anyway even knowing the outcome.

The memories made her eyes fill with tears.

Seeing her crying, Ji-Yun approached her and placed his hand softly on her shoulder. "Thank you unnie, for saving me." He said.

He then pulled a small ball out of his backpack. One that had been sewn from pieces of silk and handed it to her saying, "This is one of my creations, I like it better than the modern plastic kind. I think toys are the best way to forget your troubles.

I plan to grow up well now and someday own the best toy store in Seoul." He said to her.

"I also plan to have my best friend join me. Together her and I will make and sell toys."

He then smiled at her and said, "You and Hyung should be happy together too, unnie. You deserve it."

Ji-Yun's father then said to her, "You should join us at home for dinner one of these nights. My wife is a good cook. We'd like it if you could both join us." He finished saying while looking up behind her.

She turned to see Jeong Jun, standing there.


	18. Chapter 18

_**"**_ _ **There is a kind magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed." Kate Douglas Wiggie**_

Hae Jin stood in front of the sink inside the small kitchen in her apartment washing her dishes. She slowly scrubbed a glass with the wash sponge. She wore a pair of latex gloves. She enjoyed washing dishes in warm water. It served to relax after work and meditate on her day. She only owned two plates and currently washed only one. She had gotten used to eating with Jun and eating alone again suddenly felt like both a curse and a blessing.

She hadn't spoken to or seen Jun in a week. She took a moment aware of the quiet around her. It gave her space to think and let things catch up for her. Since Jun had appeared everything had moved so rapidly. Her days had felt like she was always holding her breath in expectation, waiting for their next encounter, wondering at how it could all be happening to her. Feelings just so many of them. The space had been a needed respite to figure it all out. Even so, she also missed him terribly.

They had quarreled as they hiked back down from the temple visit.

Every time she replayed their conversation in her head, which she had done all week, she started feeling upset again.

She dried her dishes and slowly put them away. It was a Friday night, but she didn't want to go out. Instead, she would take a shower and put her pajamas on.

The doorbell rang making her freeze. She was almost afraid to find out who it might be. She looked at the camera and saw who it was.

"Hello, Hae Jin, it's me. Came over for a visit. I'm glad you are home. I thought you might have gone out, since it's Friday night." Getting closer to the camera he said, "Your baby is here, he misses you. It's been a whole week, so come on, open up, pleaaase." He finished with a wide grin. Seeing those adorable eyes placed in front of the camera, she couldn't resist opening the door. She knew he was using those eyes against her.

His tall frame filled the door. Suddenly she saw him darting in between her feet. His little puppy legs running as fast as they could and bolting into her apartment. All she managed to see was a white fur ball running past her. She forgot all about the man standing at the door and started chasing after snowball, without looking back she said to him, "You did that on purpose, Jeong Ahn."

Jeong Ahn leaned on the door smiling with his arms crossed. In his hand he carried a plastic grocery bag and said to her, "Of course, I did! Who can resist snowball? You and Hyung left him with me for a week. I was okay for both of you to have some time together last weekend, and it's not that I mind snowball. You both know that, but it has been a week. I have a girlfriend and a life too, you know?

Besides, Hyung came back in a foul mood. I thought you were both getting away for some relax time?"

Hae Jin had managed to catch snowball and held him close to her in one arm, rubbing her cheek against his fur. Already, holding him was making her feel better than she had all week.

She walked up to the door and focused her eyes on the bag Jeon Ahn carried with a question in her eyes. She could have sworn his eyes were twinkling with mischief.

"We didn't mean to leave him with you for a week. Thank you for taking care of him. I thought your brother would pick him up? I'm not supposed to have dogs in my apartment. Stop blocking the door. Come on in, before my landlady sees snowball." She said, then asked," What's in the bag?"

"Therapy" he answered. "I picked up some soju at the store on my way here. Seeing her narrowing her eyes at him, he said," Before you say anything more, you owe me for snowball, and this is for me as well as you. I need a friend now." As he spoke to her he entered her apartment and sat on one of her chairs.

Hae Jin closed the door, walked into her kitchen, grabbing a bowl of water for snowball.

"Ju- Hee turned me down." He said. "I proposed, and she said, she wanted to think about it. "His voice was full of disbelief and hurt.

"After everything we've been thru together, she loves me, and I love her." As he said this, his fingers interlaced through his hair and he looked down at the floor looking dejected. "What's the holdup then?" He added feeling frustrated.

Snowball drank water from his bowl, and Hae Jin was able to focus on Jeong Ahn. Instead of giving him an answer she grabbed the bag from him walking to her kitchen. She opened the cupboard looking for glasses. "Did you remember to buy any snacks?" she asked, smiling at him as he looked up at her.

An hour and a half and several soju bottles later they both sat on the floor around her coffee table. She had fed snowball and he lay on a floor pillow napping. She was feeling sleepy herself and wished she could be napping too.

They had played a few rounds of Hi Low, and Titanic. Hae Jin had beat Jeong Ahn at Hi Low since she seemed to pull better cards than him. Jeong Ahn had asked they switch to Titanic, and now he was winning as her balance was not great and her glass kept sinking.

"That's enough, Jeong Ahn. You're too good at this game, we're switching again." she said. As she spoke she was finding it hard to keep her back straight and her thoughts focused she leaned against the coffee table for support.

"There. That's it. Right there. We can switch to playing King." then he said "but first I need to understand women. Why do you always change your minds? What is it women want? In a 1,000 years I will never understand." He said to her with finality, laying his head on the coffee table for support.

His reference to time triggered a memory of Goryeo. She had sat at a similar table with him then drinking after Lady Hae's death. Jeong Ahn did not know who he had been then in Goryeo. He didn't understand that things between him, Prince Baek-Ah and Woo Hee had not ended well then. She wanted him to know how important getting things right this time around in the present was especially since he did not know about his past…she finally said to him,

"The problem is boxes, women are always inside boxes…. You can be the wife, the mother, the slave, the Queen, or the lover.

What about not being someone who fits into one box? What if you just want to enjoy each other's company. Is being yourself not good enough? Must you always have a title for others to accept you? What if you like being free of boxes? You just want to live. Just because someone hands you a box, it doesn't always mean you should get inside it. Let me tell you Jeong Ahn, I don't think people always have as much time as they think they do. So just live and forget about the boxes…Got it?"

He looked at her and said in return as he offered her a benevolent smile "Got it!" and nodded his head.

Then she added, "I never fit into any of those boxes anyway. I thought I knew Jeong Ju. I realized on that trip to the mountains, I truly don't know him. Jeong Ahn, tell me, you can be honest with me. How can you know someone's heart so well it feels like they are already a part of your own, and then realize they aren't that person anymore? But even so, you still love them? What if you realize your heart truly can't forgive them this time? Maybe it isn't in you? I'm scared that might be the case. I don't know what to do." As Hae Jin spoke her lids stayed half open, then slowly she laid her head on her arms closing her eyes.

"Hey, Hae Jin you can't fall asleep on me…we're still playing King remember? He gently touched her shoulder "You always worry too much." He said to her shaking her shoulder to wake her up.

Her head suddenly popped up, "King? …. Ok, fine, I'll be the King then. Jeong Ahn jump on one foot!" she commanded waving her hand as if giving a royal command.

Jeong Ahn stood and started jumping on one foot…the floor to her apartment shook before he lost his balance and landed on the floor.

They both broke into fits of laughter before hard knocking on the door to her apartment brought the merriment to a full stop.

Hae Jin covered her eyes with both hands "Oh no! I think that's my landlady or the downstairs neighbor. Jeong Ahn this is all your fault!" She said, standing up carefully and walking slowly to her door ready to apologize. She straightened her skirt and tried to straighten her hair and back already anticipating their anger at all the noise she opened the door slowly, saying "I'm terribly sorry." Suddenly she stopped.

"Are you? I'm sorry too. Let's not fight anymore. " Jeong Jun said. He watched her for a minute. Her cheeks were flushed. Her hair was in disarray. She looked adorable!

"You've been drinking." He said. Hae Jin nodded at him. He stepped a little closer.

"I've been thinking this week and I remembered you saying to me as we stood by a lake that if we ever met in this world, you would truly, truly, love me without reservation. I came over to let you know, I plan on holding you accountable to that promise."

Stretching his arms out he wrapped them around her waist pulling her to him. "I've missed you" He said, giving her just enough time to look into his eyes, before his lips landed softly on hers, to kiss her.

Jeong Ahn's voice made them pull away. "Hyung? Is that you?" he called out at them. "I'm so glad you're here. We were just about to start playing King." He added.

Turning towards the door Jeong Jun closed it, saying to them, "Now that's something I can easily do. Let's play!"


	19. Chapter 19

**The Red Thread**

 **".. _.the gods tie .. the pinky fingers of those who find each other in life. Legend has it that the two-people connected by this thread will have an important story, regardless of the time, place or circumstances. The red string might get tangled, contracted or stretched, as surely often happens, but it can never break." The Legend of the Red Thread._**

Hae Jin stood in line by the counter of the airport café waiting to pay for her water bottle. Her hands gripped the chilly bottle a little too tightly to calm her nerves. That morning Jun had sent a company car from Nabi enterprises to pick her up from her apartment. Her luggage was already checked in and on its way to Osaka, Japan. She heard announcements over the speakers for flights arriving and leaving.

Jun had traveled ahead of her and spent the whole week already in Osaka, negotiating a contract at the exchange.

Today was already Friday, he had asked her to join him over a long 4-day weekend for a quiet getaway. They would be staying at a hot spring inn south of Osaka and spending some time over the weekend sightseeing.

This would be her first trip to Japan. Fortunately, she wouldn't be traveling alone.

She looked around trying to spot Jeong Ahn and Ju Hee. They had said they would meet her at the café.

She looked at her cellphone and checked her messages. They were late.

She heard an incoming text, as she took a sip of her water. It was from Jeong Ahn, and read,

"Meet me by the Korean Air main entrance. I've been delayed." After reading it she headed for their meeting gate.

She heard the commotion before she saw it. Loud excited voices, and then as she turned a corner arriving at the entrance she saw it.

Fans surrounded Jeong Ahn. His tall frame stood in the middle as he signed autographs and posed for pictures.

He saw her approaching and smiled apologetically at her.

Fan girls, ahjumma's and an odd assortment of older and younger men and women turned to pin their eyes on her. Feeling self conscious she suddenly wished she had a pair of those sunglasses celebrities wore.

Behind Jeong Ahn and his fans stood his manager and Ju Hee next to him.

Ju Hee, seeing her smiled. Hae Jin smiled back at her and approached her.

Jeong Ahn had a scheduled concert, over the weekend, in Osaka.

He had spoken to his manager to arrange everything for a business/pleasure getaway weekend, so they could travel together.

"I wasn't expecting this." Go Hae Jin said to Ju Hee as she approached her .

Ju Hee said to Hae Jin,"As a musician with two solo albums out, his fan base isn't huge, but he does have determined followers. Jeong Ahn plays mainly ballads, and traditional Korean songs. He prefers playing traditional and classical instruments. His concerts tend to be small and personable.

Oftentimes he plays at universities for students and professors of classical Korean music." Then, she had added, "I try to stay out of it, and stay in the fans good graces. Loving Jeong Ahn means accepting his music and lifestyle too. I'm just grateful he isn't a well-known idol. His hectic traveling schedule is already stressful at times." She said.

Some time later, all three sat next to each other in first class. Hae Jin had never flown first class. Jeong Ahn on the other hand mastered airports and traveling like a complete pro. His schedule kept him busy shuttling from airport to airport. His manager sat behind them. They only had a short flight, under 2 hours to travel from Seoul to Osaka.

As the flight attendant came to check on them, Jeong Ahn said to her, "Best thing about first class…. even this early in the morning. It's okay to order wine." Then he pushed his seat back and prepared to nap.

That afternoon they arrived at the hot springs in Kawayu Onsen the town was south of Osaka and was surrounded by trees: cedars, maples and cypress. The natural setting offered a tranquil and peaceful setting . They had checked into their rooms and she now sat in her room overlooking the garden.

The pamphlet she had picked up at the airport said this time April/May was when visitors came to see the cherry blossoms.

The area was also renowned for it's shrines. The shrine of Hongu was only 7 kilometers from the inn they stayed in.

She finished reading about the sights and decided to go for walk with her camera. Jun had called her at the airport, when they arrived in Japan. He would be meeting them for dinner after his meetings.

Dinner had been simply served food with what tasted like homecooking. They had all eaten too much.

After dinner they sat soaking in the hot springs. Hae Jin sat next to Ju Hee a small wall separated the men's hot spring.

Ju and Ahn soaked on the other side of the partition wall. Hae Jin and Ju Hee could over hear their conversation in the lady's hot spring. A bamboo tray floated between them holding a bottle of sake and cups. A small waterfall filled the space with the sounds of running water.

"How did the meeting go Hyung?" Jeong Ahn asked.

"As well as can be expected. We managed to trade…. The biggest meeting happened on Wednesday and we put in our bid. The competing bid was aggressive and very competitive. They really are looking to win over this contract." Then Jun added,

"They sent their own representative from Seoul. The results of the bidding will be announced after the weekend. All we can do for now is wait. We believe our offer will be more attractive and win. I called our CEO , Jeong Min to report on the outcome of the meetings."

"Hopefully we can earn favor so we will be hosting a cultural event tomorrow night on traditional music entitled The voices of the people thru Asian cultures. Your performance tomorrow night Ahn will hopefully make our offer more attractive adding the cultural component. Some of the companies we are bidding against are not Asian. We hope this will serve as a subtle reminder of the importance of dealing with like-minded partners. Our CEO will attend as well as several critical VIP''s." Jun finished, then they heard heavy splashing.

"Enough about work Ahn. What about you? I heard you and Ju Hee won't be heading to the altar soon." Ju said, they could hear them splashing water at each other.

"You know Hyung what's wrong with all play and no responsibilities, marriage means lots of work too Let's play, and play some more….and you know you can never have enough of that." He said nonchalantly,

Then he added in a loud voice," My heart keeps breaking. She keeps turning me down. If I didn't love my Ju Hee as much as I do… Even the fans follow me to the airport. She tells me she doesn't want to be on their bad side as the girlfriend that stole their star away from them, but I say to them love me, love my Ju Hee." Those were his last words as Ju pushed his head under the water. He came up for air spluttering.

"I can hear that Ahn!" Ju Hee yelled at him. Her voice sounded angry but Hae Jin could see a big grin as she winked at Hae Jin pouring them both one more cup of sake.

The next morning, they all boarded a tour bus to visit Hongu shrine. A cheerful lady served as their tour guide. She stood at the front of the bus speaking to them through her microphone about the sites they would visit over the weekend. The lady translated from Japanese into Korean for all the tourists on the bus.

"Tomorrow we will board a boat through the Kumano-gawa river where we will arrive at the Hayatama grand shrine. Along the way we can admire the rock formations along the valley walls. At Hayatama there is a massive Asian bayberry tree believed to be eight centuries old. Placing one of its oval leaves in your wallet is said to ensure you will never run short of money."

Hae Jin sat next to Ju Hee for the first leg of the trip.

"I'm surprised Ju agreed to go on a tour bus instead of driving." Hae Jin said to her.

"It was Ahn's manager who arranged this tour. Ahn thought it would let everyone enjoy the trip so no one needed to focus on the road." Ju Hee added.

The tour guide continued to speak. She now spoke about the myths and legends of Japan, her words suddenly captured Hae Jin's attention. She read an excerpt from a book that explained the legend of the red string.

"… human relations are predestined by a red string that the gods tie to the pinky fingers of those who find each other in life. Legend has it that the two-people connected by this thread will have an important story, regardless of the time, place or circumstances. The red string might get tangled, contracted or stretched, as surely often happens, but it can never break.

The myth of the red string is a way to understand our itinerary of encounters as a predetermined plot where couples' relationships, the intimate brushes against someone, and all the little stories we crisscross with others are neither random triumphs nor accidents, but part of a scarlet tapestry whose threads were given to us when we were born but which we knit ourselves."

As the lady continued speaking Hae Jin was silent, mesmerized by the legend. It explained so much of the questions that constantly plagued her. It was as if in listening to this legend maybe the encounters in her life could make some sense after all.

She wondered if Jun and her had such a string tied to each other.

Had the encounters in her life truly been part of a scarlet tapestry as was mentioned in the legend?

Was her story part of a predestined and perfect path, with a scarlet string attached connecting her to all the destinations in her life?

Could all those encounters not be accidents but designs in her journey?

As she sat pondering the ramifications a sense of peace fell over her. She was suddenly very glad she had signed up for this trip.

Late in the afternoon they finished their visit to the shrine, as rain started to fall. They had heard from the tour guide that rain and weather patterns could be unpredictable in this region.

They headed back to the tour bus taking their seats.

Everyone felt tired after a long day exploring the shrine grounds. As they headed down the mountain pass the swerving bus made her drowsy and she lay her head on Jun's shoulder.

The bus turned down the narrow pass as rain continued to pour.

A speeding sports car suddenly swerved from behind the bus, passing on its right.

The bus driver managed to avoid the vehicle seconds before a mudslide on the left side of the mountain side crumbled onto the vehicle. A river of mud descending on the mountain side pushed the vehicle and its driver towards the side cliff, precariously close to being thrown down the cliff side.

The bus driver managed to keep his steering wheel from spinning out of his control as the mud slide hit the front wheels of the bus.

The bus slid partly as most of the mud avoided the second half of the bus.

The vehicle stayed at a complete stop having partly slid into the middle of the street.

The sudden stop made Hae Jin wake up.

Screaming inside the bus stopped as the bus did too.

The driver stood from his seat. He managed to open the door to the bus asking the passengers to please exit calmly.

Hae Jin's heart was pounding as Jun held her hand urging her towards the front of the bus. "Hae Jin, let's go." He said to her.

It was dark outside as they exited the bus. Ahn and Ju Hee stood next to them.

Passengers stood around the bus dialing their cellphones. The four of them huddled together.

"We were extremely lucky to have only slid half way down the road, especially as we are so close to those cliffs." Ahn had said.

Turning to see the cliff, they spotted the sports car.

The bus driver had spoken with the police. Mud blocked the road up from the town.

He then addressed the passengers asking for their help to help the passenger inside the sports car.

The bus driver walked to the sport car. Jun and Ahn followed him helping the driver exit the vehicle.

The man driving the sports car had walked away from his car slowly with tentative steps heading towards Hae Jin and Ju Hee.

His hand had gone to his head as he stood just a few steps from them.

Then he looked at Hae Jin and reached his arm out towards her a moment before he collapsed.

Ju Hee and her tried to catch his fall.

Half of him had landed crushing Ju Hee as he lay on the ground.

Hae Jin had caught the top half of his body and his head now lay on her lap. She had stretched her hands out instinctively last minute as she tried to catch it before it hit concrete.

He opened his eyes. She recognized those eyes.

It was 3rd. Prince, Prince Yo.


	20. Chapter 20

**_"_** ** _In the end you don't so much find yourself as you find someone who knows who you are. " ~Robert Brault_**

Hae Jin sat on a pillow on the floor wrapped in a soft cotton yakuta. The robes had been provided by the inn and both Jun and she had changed into them after returning from a day of sightseeing.

The mudslide had been cleared and they had arrived late in the evening at the inn in Kawayu Onsen, soaked by the rain, hungry and cold.

This made the Japanese style table in front of them with its smell of shrimp and freshly cooked rice more enticing.

She suddenly felt grateful for the unassuming warmth of the inn they stayed at. It's family ownership made her feel welcomed. She knew a hotel would have made this trip feel like a business trip rather than a getaway.

A window overlooked the river. The most prominent feature of the town. The free-flow of its banks was a natural hot spring.

Her eyes continued to watch outside the window. Something about running water made her feel calm. Hae Jin became aware that Jun was watching her.

At moments like these she realized there were many times their communication went beyond words. She could read his eyes. She knew he worried about what had happened as they exited the bus.

He hadn't said anything about his brother but they both knew a part of their history had come to light with this encounter. The memories of 3rd Prince and his years as King felt raw and fresh in her mind.

She remembered how back in Goryeo she had felt so glad to see 4th prince return to the palace. She had felt fortunate just to catch a glimpse of him.

The King had sent 4th prince away. In those days The King referred to him as nothing but a wolf dog on a leash at his beck and call. Sadly, she understood who the reason was he accepted that leash keeping him in place. His servitude had been willingly given to keep her safe. She had waited two long years for his return.

That afternoon, they had stood on an open garden in the palace, as the King overlooked them from one of the buildings. 4th prince had been only steps away from her and she had desperately hoped they had been alone in that garden but instead the King's eyes and that of his retinue still followed them.

The King had fired an arrow straight at her. She had been helpless to do anything but wait for the arrow to hit her like a deer hunted down for game.

4th prince had moved on instinct. He had turned in one fluid motion as his arms wrapped themselves around her circling her away from the arrows path. The arrow had grazed his arm instead of hitting her and landed them both on the ground.

She had laid next to him just a hand's length away and met his eyes with the realization that once again he had put himself in harms way to save her.

His words to her a few days earlier may have said he wanted to stay away from her, but his actions had spoken louder than those words.

Jun smiled at her reading the memories running thru her mind and the emotions on her face.

They both sat on the floor on opposite sides to the table. She felt so grateful at the miracle of being able to sit and share a meal with him now. They had traveled a long road together from there to here.

Trying to break the awkwardness they both felt, she picked up her chopsticks and found some beef. This was his favorite. She brought a bite size piece close to his mouth. His eyes continued to follow her. He ate slowly.

After he finished eating, he had looked down, picked up his chopsticks and found some shrimp. It was her favorite. His chopsticks held a small piece close to her mouth. She smiled at him a little locking her gaze and chewing slowly.

Their eyes spoke what they couldn't.

They ate in silence almost finishing the whole meal before his words took her by surprise, "This is not the first time I've met Yo in modern times, and it won't be the last." He said.

"His company is bidding against ours. He was sent as their representative from Seoul. We met at the exchange on Wednesday. He will be attending tomorrow night's culture and music event alongside their company's President. You should be prepared to see a familiar face in that President." He finished.

Hae Jin sat quietly trying to come to terms with this announcement. Then asked cautiously as she set her chopsticks down, "Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to be one of my favorite people from Goryeo? A familiar face?" she added.

"It's Yeon-Hwa, Queen Daemok." He answered directly.

Hearing her name Hae Jin realized she wasn't prepared at all for the emotions that name stirred in her.

She turned her eyes away towards the window trying to gain some calm from the river once again.

Seeing her concern, Jun had stood and walked to her side, sitting close to her. He had taken her hand wrapping it in his and saying," Your hand is cold, I have the perfect solution to warming up after the rain."

He had stood then his eyes asking her to follow him.

They had walked outside to a secluded area in the river surrounded by trees. Jun held a small shovel in his hands.

They stood in the same slippers and robes provided by the inn in which they had eaten dinner.

"This is a tradition, from what the inn keepers explained." He said, then taking the shovel he took his slippers off, walked to the water and started digging a small pool for them out of the river's loose pebbles.

The sight of Jun digging in a robe under moonlight suddenly made her spirits lighten up again.

"You know Jun, for being a prince, then a King and now a top executive, we always seem to find ourselves in the oddest places doing the oddest things together." Hae Jin had said to him.

Her words made him stop digging for a moment.

He stood looking around them. At that moment as if on cue an owl hooted making them both look at each other and laugh.

Then he eyed her slowly from the bottom of her slippers to the top of her head saying, "If it keeps you from worrying unnecessarily and serves as true distraction for both of us, I don't see the harm." He said as his eyes traveled to the shovel in his hands.

"No matter where we go the past seems intent on reappearing. I am no expert in reincarnation. I'll leave that to the monks, but it seems clear at this point that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. "He had paused for a moment before continuing,

"I had no control over how I took over Jeong Jun's body as a child. I was able to grow up in this world. I can now understand some of what you must have felt in Goryeo. I've had time to adapt to this new life. However, you were thrown into the life of an adult and expected to carry thru that life having no prior knowledge of what happened."

Their eyes met as he said this. Then he added,

"Hae Jin I don't regret having prior knowledge that you would travel to Goryeo on that dock. I am in the modern world now, I knew what that eclipse would do after the accident and what it meant for you and all of us.

You asked me as we descended the mountain at Haeinsa if stopping you from traveling to Goryeo would have stopped all the suffering that followed?" silence had followed before he said,

"I don't know…. I did not choose to be born a prince, to be cast away by my family at Shinju…. but I chose you." In a softer voice he had said," I found you. We are here."

"Whatever the changes around us, one thing will not change Hae Jin. In Goryeo, in this life or all the ones that follow. I will continue to find you my Soo-yah because you are all I need to find me."

Hae Jin stood quietly listening to his words, letting them slowly sink into her heart. The way these moments between them always did.

Sometime later, she stood watching Jun and said, "Jun, are you trying to dig us a pool to soak in or a small lake?"

Instead of answering her, he stopped and pushed the shovel into the pebbled ground walking towards her. He put his hands on her shoulders,

"Only a pool fit for a King and his Queen will do.

Now the trick is to get warm water from the river's hot spring and mix it with enough chilly water to make it comfortable. I want you to soak and relax not cook in this pool Hae Jin. "His eyes suddenly changed on her again as he explained this.

At times she realized no matter how long they knew each other he still could take her by surprise repeatedly. She tried to read his mood and wondered then if she'd ever really know him well enough to fully understand him?

Seeing his eyes again she had almost been afraid to ask but also knew she had too. He had baited her perfectly into this corner, "What about our swimming suits?" she asked.

An almost triumphant look came over him as if he had been waiting for her to ask. Fully aware it had taken her this long to figure it out. He answered in a matter of fact way, "The innkeeper explained this tradition very well to me Hae Jin. Swimming suits…. are optional." He said.

Looking at him she understood a challenge when she heard one.

"Don't worry Hae Jin. The innkeeper provided us with towels." Jun added preparing to enter the pool.

Hae Jin looked at the pebbled ground around their pool. Two white washcloths lay on the ground.

The next evening, Jun sat next to Hae Jin holding her hand in the back of the car as they waited to enter the company's party.

Hae Jin wore a long black dress. Jun wore a tuxedo.

She knew she was feeling nervous about this event. She reminded herself that she had already navigated court intrigue in a royal household. A company party should be no different. She felt grateful that Jun had prepared her ahead of time for unexpected surprises.

"I will be busy tonight meeting with our business partners. You should stay close to Ju Hee and Jeong Ahn. The meetings could go late into the night Hae Jin. Feel free to leave earlier with Ju Hee and Ahn in the company car if you need to. I will meet you at the inn." He said to her.

"I will wait for you Jun. We can leave together." She said.

Jun had squeezed her hand one last time before the driver opened the door for them.

Jeong Ahn's concert had just ended. Hae Jin sat next to Ju Hee on her left side Jun sat next to her on her right.

Watching Ahn performing Hae Jin thought about how most days she could see parts of her old friend in Ahn, but today the differences between Ahn and Prince Baek-Ah had seemed to vanish as she listened to him playing. She could almost imagine his royal clothes on and his long hair again when she listened to his music.

Ju Hee spoke to her in a soft voice after the concert, "There are times when he plays like tonight that I feel like I've known Ahn for a long time. As if I'm listening to a very old soul emerging when he plays. Other times, his playfulness reminds me he is like a small child at heart. He can play sad songs that make me feel regret too... It's as if the more I find Ahn, I find me …." Ju Hee had paused for a minute in deep thought, then she had added quickly and in a lighter tone," I suppose a good artist can communicate emotions without words."

"It's hard to separate the person from the artist Ju Hee. It was a beautiful concert." Hae Jin had said.

Afterwards they both stood by a buffet table waiting for Ahn to join them.

Hae Jin could see Jun in a separate group some distance from them next to his older brother CEO, Jeong Min. Next to them stood two businessmen.

All four were in deep conversation.

The room became quiet as the next VIP's entering the party were announced at the door. First, they announced, "President Hwang Ae-Ri!" All eyes turned to the door.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

 **Echoes**

 **"Ennui is the echo in us, of time tearing itself apart."**

 **~ Emile M. Cioran**

At the Company Party in Osaka, Japan.

At the party, Hae- Jin could see Jun in a separate group some distance from them next to his older brother CEO, Jeong Min. Next to them stood two businessmen. All four were in deep conversation.

The room became quiet as the next VIP's entering the party were announced at the door. First, they announced, "President Hwang Ae-Ri!" All eyes turned to the door.

Hae- Jin knew she was holding her breath for a minute. A modern-day version of Yeon-Hwa stood at the entrance resplendent in a red dress. Her hair was pulled back. She wore what looked like a diamond necklace and matching dangling earrings. A black bolero jacket that could best be described as sculpted to her body topped her wide skirt. Every inch of her exuded the air of a confident corporate President.

Next to her stood her Vice President, Ji-Yun also looking confident in a black tuxedo.

Hae- Jin could recognized him as the driver of the sportscar they had met. Vice President Ji-Yun seemed to remember her too for as he turned to look around at those joining the party his eyes seemed to fix on her, making Hae -Jin feel self-conscious.

President Hwang noticed the exchange. She had turned and lightly hooked her arm around the Vice-President's arm to have him escort her into the party, momentarily bringing his attention back to her.

Hae- Jin's sense of discomfort continued to increase as the party progressed.

She suddenly regretted having eaten the two pieces of sushi on her plate. The food did not seem to agree with her tonight. She attributed this to her nerves.

Ju Hee and Jeong Ahn were deep into a discussion about traditional versus modern instruments.

Hae -Jin placed one hand lightly on her stomach.

The room seemed suddenly warm. She touched her forehead feeling herself breaking out into a cold sweat. She would need to step outside for a minute.

"Hae- Jin are you, all right?" Jeong Ahn had asked.

"I think I'll need to step out just for a minute. It just feels a bit warm in here with all of these people." She said to him trying to reassure him with a smile.

"I'll come with you." Ju Hee had said to her.

"No don't Ju Hee. Stay. You both finally will get some time to yourselves. Make the most of it." Hae -Jin said to her.

"I'll be right back, go light on that sushi…." she added walking away.

Outside the party room she walked down a long elegant corridor of the hotel. Large crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling making the hall seem imposing and her feel small.

She remembered seeing a small store with necessities for guests in the lobby as they arrived, perhaps she could buy herself some medicine for her upset stomach?

Hae -Jin continued walking trying to locate which of the doors in the hall might be the restroom. She wanted to splash some water on her face. The lights felt very bright, making her shield her eyes. She was feeling light headed.

She turned a corner into one of the halls on her left and heard what sounded like an argument taking place. The loudness of the argument made her stop. She removed her hand shielding her eyes from the bright lights and saw the people standing in the hall.

President Hwang Ae-Ri stood next to Vice President Ji-Yun and another man next to them.

Three men in black suits stood in front of them blocking their way.

Vice President Ji-Yun's hand seemed to be shielding President Hwang Ae-Ri as his body stood in front of her.

As Hae-Jin's footsteps came to a stop everyone turned towards her seeing her approach.

A sudden pain in her chest, made Hae-Jin pound her heart lightly with her fist.

Her sudden presence was like a trigger as everything sped up in that moment.

One of the men in suits held a gun pointing it at President Hwang.

A shot rang out. Followed by a second.

Vice President Ji held his hand to his chest having stepped in front of President Hwang to shield her.

The room started to spin and Hae-Jin had reached towards the column next to her to keep herself steady, knocking a large ceramic vase. It crashed and shattered onto the floor.

The sound proved enough of a distraction for the man accompanying President Hwang. He had managed to kick the gun pointed at President Hwang out of reach from the assailant's hand. The gun slid across the floor triggering a third shot as it landed on the floor.

The tables had turned on the men in black suits. The assailant now knelt on the floor, the kick had dislodged the gun and made him lose his balance. The man next to President Hwang was now the one holding a gun to the man kneeling, it was pointed at his head.

Sounds from the corridor of people approaching made two of the three men blocking the corridor run down the back of the hall towards the emergency exits.

President Hwang's hand had reached towards the man next to her holding the gun as he prepared to shoot. Her hand gently lowering his arm.

The assailant followed the first two men exiting at the end of the hall.

Hae -Jin's palm lay flat on the cold marble column as she leaned heavily against it. She saw her vision narrow on that hand before the world went dark.

Later at the Hospital.

The sound of beeping slowly repeating was the first thing Hae-Jin heard. Even before opening her eyes she recognized the all too familiar sound of a hospital monitor….. Her eyes opened slowly before the bright light starting flooding in and she had to close her eyes again.

Squinting against the light, she heard someone softly calling her name. "Hae-Jin…. are you awake?"

Slowly she nodded her head. Then, shielding her eyes with her hand tried to open her eyes again. Everything still looked blurry as she tried to focus in on the face next to her.

A moment of confusion filled her…. Wait, why was she in a hospital? The memory of her extended stay at the hospital came back. Was she waking from her comma?

She remembered… Jun, and they had been at a party….

Had that all been a dream? What if Jun wasn't here and this was all part of her comma induced dream?

The thought was enough to make her panic and try to rise….

Strong arms supported her as she tried to sit up.

"Hae-Jin stop, it's all right. I'm here. I'm right here." The sound of his voice was enough to calm her heart again. She relaxed into his arms and let him help her sit up.

"Jun?" She said.

Slowly her eyes adjusted to the light again and his face came into focus.

He sat down next to her on the hospital bed after adjusting her back pillows. She leaned against them and let her eyes slowly drink in every inch of his face. "It wasn't a dream. He was real, and he was here with her."

"You gave us all a scare. We found you in the hall outside. You fainted." Jun said to her. "We brought you to the hospital for a checkup. Ahn said you weren't feeling well at the party."

As Jun spoke to her, he pushed a button on her bedside, calling the nurse.

A nurse's voice came through the speaker letting them know a doctor was on his way.

"We still don't know what's wrong Hae- Jin we're waiting for the doctor to come and tell us." He added.

"I'm sorry. I should have walked with you Hae Jin." Ju- Hee said. She stood next to Ahn, both looked worried.

"Nonsense.. I was the one who asked you to stay behind, Ju- Hee." Hae-Jin formed her words slowly.

A doctor and a nurse walked in. The nurse smiled at them and then translated for them into Korean as the doctor addressed them.

"The doctor would like to do more testing Ms. Go Hae -Jin. He is concerned about your heart. He asks if you have felt pressure or discomfort particularly when you are stressed. Does pounding your chest at those times seem to alleviate the pressure?" The nurse asked.

Hae - Jin stopped for a minute before answering. Her eyes had met Jun's then as memories of the past came back to her. For a moment the whole room and everyone in it had faded out of her sight. All she could think about was Prince Jung and her last moments in Goryeo as she heard almost clearly the words to that last song played for her at Prince Jung's request. That song the singer had explained had won the heart of a King. That heart back then had carried her thru 10 years…Only 10 years.

She turned again to look at Jun, once again she had won his heart.

It was like hearing echoes from the past again. A Past that continued to repeat its patterns. Would this too be a pattern repeated to the point of tedium?


End file.
